


Total Drama Camp

by TinCanz



Series: Total Drama Series [1]
Category: Total Drama
Genre: Alternate Universe, Attempt at Humor, Back-Stabbing, Challenges, Contestants, Drama, Duncney - Freeform, F/M, Funny, Humor, Island - Freeform, Jealousy, Love, Love Triangles, MPD, Manipulation, Mike and Zoey, Money, Multiple Personality Disorder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reality TV, Relationship(s), Romance, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Teens, Total Drama: Revenge Of The Island, combination - Freeform, gwent, host - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-13 22:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11769627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinCanz/pseuds/TinCanz
Summary: Welcometo one of the craziest summer camps ever! For this, I combined Total Drama Island (season 1) and Total Drama Revenge of the Island (season 4) into one big "Total Drama Camp". With a few people sprinkled in from The Ridonculous Race. Following the basic timeline of TDI and some from TDROTI, I brought all of my favorite characters and decided hey, why not mush them all together?Ships galore, more back-stabbing, and dramatic drama as it ensues, I hope you enjoy this piece of work; one I've been wanting to do for a while.Stay tuned!





	1. The Not So Happy Campers

**Chapter 1** – Not So Happy Campers

A worn-out dock resting on the sandy (and dirty) shores of an island and the bright blue waters. There are colorful trees and far out forests in the distant. The shot seems to be serene and peaceful, until one certain host of a reality TV show pops out of nowhere. Head up, the man grins his white, flashy teeth.  


“Yo.” He had well-groomed black hair and at age 25 he was, in a word, obnoxiously aware of his good looks. “We’re coming at you live from Camp Wawanakwa, somewhere in Muskoka, Ontario! I’m your host, Chris McLean- dropping season 1 of the hottest new reality show on Television right NOW!”  
McLean starts to break it down, walking on said dock. “Here’s the deal. 26 campers have signed up to spend eight weeks right her in this crummy old summer camp. They’ll compete in challenges against each other, then face the judgement of their fellow campers.”  
Several buildings are shown sitting comfortably on the island, the cabins being lanky and typical.  


“Every three days, one team will either win a reward, or watch one of their team members walk down the Dock of Shame. Take a ride on the Loser Boat and leave Total Drama Camp for good.” Chris is then seen in front of a campfire setting, with many tree stumps in a neat row in front of it, a trash bin (or soap box), and a tall sign propped up for show.  
“Their fate will be decided here at the dramatic Campfire ceremonies, where each week all but one camper will not receive a marshmallow and receiving the boot. In the end, only one will be left victorious and rewarded with cheesy tabloid fame and a small fortune which- let’s face it- they’ll probably blow in a week. To survive, they’ll have to battle-“  


“Black flies.”  
“Grizzly bears.”  
“Disgusting camp food.”  
“And, each other. Every single moment will be caught on one of the hundreds of cameras situated all over the camp. Who will crumble under the pressure? Find out here- RIGHT NOW- on Total. Drama. Camp!”

\---

“Welcome back to Total Drama Camp! Alright, it’s time to meet our campers. We told them all they’d be staying at this five star resort sooo… if they seem a little T.O.’d, that’s probably why.” Done introducing, Chris walks up to greet the fancy looking boat who just dropped off the first contestant on the dock. Zooming away, it revealed…  
“Beth.” Chris said. “What’s up?”  
“It’s SO incredulous to meet you!” The rather short and modest-looking girl scrambled up to give Chris a big hug. She wore an outfit (which she made herself, guess) and wore glasses, braces, a stuck up side ponytail, a couple of standing out moles, thick eyebrows, and probably more. She retracted her hug.  


“Wow. You’re much shorter in real life.” She pointed out.  
“Uh.. thanks.” Chris backed off. The boat, dropping off yet another, sped off to retrieve more.  
“Yo, Chris McLean! How’s it going?” DJ, a great big black guy wearing a great smile, walks forward as Beth heads down the dock. They high five one time, DJ towering way over Chris. He looks around for a big, putting down his two duffle bags.  
“Hey, you sure you got the right place here? Where’s the hot tub?” Chris just smiled more.  
“Yo dawg, this is it! Camp Wawanakwa!” He stretched his arms in all of the island’s glory.  
D.J., a bit bummed out, heads down to where Beth is. He mutters, “Hmph. Looked a lot different on the application form…”

Next up, is Gwen! An incredibly pale goth girl who looked unimpressed as humanly possible. She bears two bags and a dissatisfied expression. She takes a look around.  
“Hey Gwen.” Chris keeps his unfaltering grin.  
“You mean we’re staying here?”  
“No. YOU’RE staying here. _My_ crib is an airstream with AC that-a-way.” He jutted a thumb out in the opposite direction.  
“I did NOT sign up for this.” The teen with short, partial turquoise dyed hair scowled. She had matching lipstick, and normal clothing despite the torn shirt.  
“Actually. You did.” Chris promptly held up a thick stack of contracts. Gwen took the stack and ripped it apart, dumping it in the ocean with a smirk.  
“The great thing about lawyers is *a beat* they make lots of copies.” Cockily, he held up another identical batch of contracts with a counter smirk. Gwen picked up her bags.  
“I am not staying here.”  
“Cool. I hope you can swim though. Cause your ride just left.” The boat honked off to the distance.  


“Jerk!” Gwen scoffed.  
Next stepping onto the boat, with a rather slim looking leg and an expensive boot, was Lindsay. Everyone’s adorable dumb blonde. She wore fashionable clothing, her long hair swept back with an aqua bandana. Bright blue eyes blinked twice as she pulled her pink luggage.  
“Not too shabby.” Chris turned to the camera.  
“Hi~.” She waved. “Okay, you look so familiar.” She pointed to McClean.  
“I’m Chris McLean.” He grinned. Lindsay did not. His disappeared too. “The host of the show?” She squinted.  
Her face lit up. “Oh, so _that’s_ where I know you from!”  
“Uh.. yeah.” As Lindsay walked off, another pair of pretty feet stepped onto the dock.  


“Heather.” Chris glanced at her sharp designer’s sunglasses. She took them off, glaring at the competition. Very short shorts, and even shorter tank tops clothed the long, dark haired girl. She grumped past Chris without sparing so much as a glance. Chris however, kept his amused face.  
Beth ran up to Heather, excited. “Hi!” She beamed. “Looks like we’re your new friends for the next eight weeks!” Heather cringed back from Beth’s projectile spit and she scowled. Before she could say anything, they were interrupted by some booming stereo rock music. With one foot on the stereo was bad boy punk, Duncan. He wore piercing, a green mohawk, spiked collar, skull shirt, piercing teal eyes, and (as the previous) a grimace.  


“Duncan! Dude.” Chris greeted. Duncan held up a fist, attitude overflowing.  
“I don’t like. Surprises.”  
“Yeah, your parole officer warned me about that man. He also told me to give him a holler anytime to have you returned to juvie.” He dragged out the last word. Getting his point across, Duncan just gave an offensive sniff and drolled.  
“Okay then.” He grinned. He walked by a still-annoyed Heather. “Meet ya by the campfire gorgeous.”  
“Drop dead you skeeze.” She rolled her eyes. She walked in a sulk and retorted. “I’m calling my parents, you cannot make me stay here.” Chris just wordlessly pulled up the contract, smiling.  
The boat honked its arrival, our next contestant being Tyler, who was _waterskiing_ behind it! His legs were dangerously far apart, but stayed up… at least until he lifted one hand to wave. His mistake. He tumbles on the water and rickashays off the dock edge, flying straight into the growing pile of bags. A spinning bag spun into the water and drenched the nearby Heather. Everybody recoiled and gave a noise of sympathy. Heather though…  
“Ugh!” She gasped. “My shoes!” Chris called out,  
“Wicked wipeout man!”  


A triumphant fist pumped out of the pile and gave a thumbs up. Heather waddled up with squishy steps, back to the crowd, and Chris was unable to keep in his snickers. His snickering was abruptly interrupted by breathing coming behind him. The owner: Harold! A skinny, awkward looking guy with green glasses and orange hair. He held one bag and a mini keyboard piano under one arm.  


“Welcome to camp Harold.” Harold stands, mouth slightly open and analyzing the situation. There was a long breathful and awkward pause, with everyone exchanging looks and wrinkling their faces. Harold kept on producing mouth breathing noises. Beth whispered to the other campers.  
“What’s he looking at?” Lindsay and Heather flinch and shrug, weirded out by him. Harold finally turns to Chris.  
“So you mean this show is at a crappy summer camp and not on some big stage or something?”  
“You got it.” Harold unexpectedly pumps his fist.  
“YESSS! That is so much more favorable to my skills.” Even his walk down the dock is painful, as if he’s prepared for insults to be hurled at him.  


“Moving on.. our ninth contestant: Trent!” Chris held out a hand to the one walking up. Trent had slightly shaggy black hair, and was nonchalant and effortlessly cool. He gad chill green eyes and replied,  
“Hey, good to meet you man. Saw you on that figure skating show, nice work.” The two exchanged a brofist.  
“Hey thanks man, I knew I rocked that show!”  
Beth whispered. “I saw that. One of the guys dropped his partner on her head. Though they got immunity that week.”  
“Lucky.” Harold said. “I hope I get dropped on my head.”  
“Me too!” Lindsay agreed happily.  
“So.. this is it?” Trent took a look around. The crew stares at him. Heather is scowling while squeezing water out of her hair, and Harold promptly sticks a finger up his nose.  
“Aaalrighty then.” He walks up and settles next to Gwen, who was already staring at him with wide eyes. Trent returned a smile to which Gwen scornfully looks away. When his head turned though, she stole another peek, giving her first smile.  


“Next we’ve got.. Cameron!” A small boy of African descent leaned in and took a deep breath.  
“Fresh air!” He had round, thick glasses and a rather light voice. “A real lake! Birds!” His smile disappeared when a flock of seagulls flapped right by him. He staggered and fell with a yelp, onto the dock. His baggage toppled onto him afterwards.  
“Oof!”  
Chris laughed.  


“Oohohoho- priceless! Keep it up kid, pain equals ratings.” He got up and angled his glasses.  
“Augh… is this what pain tastes like?” He wheezed. Chris chuckled.  
“Whatever the flavor, you’ll get a whole lot more of it, hehe.” He winked to the camera and chuckled sinisterly. Cameron gulped and made his way down the dock.  
Another boat arrived, but this time with two passengers.

Chris gestured simply. “Emma. Kitty. Sisters.” The two Asians looked around, one with straight black hair with a slight curve to the ends, and the other (who was taller) with two long ponytails tied up in bright red bows.  
Kitty hopped off and took three instant selfies with her older sister with a squeal and dumped her light rolling bag. Emma held two large bags, and put them down just to cross her arms.  


“I believe there was a mistake here.” Emma looked to the host.  
“Nope. No mistake. Nada.” McLean corrected, with a smile of course.  
Emma huffed. “You can’t falsely advertise. Based on this newfound evidence, I’ll be going ba-“ Kitty skipped to her, long ponytails bouncing.  
“Oh, come on! This is great! I’ve always wanted to go to a summer camp!” She giggled.  
“No, we came here to win.” Emma stated.  
Chris held up some more packets. “Well, lawyer wannabe, you of all people should know that lawyers make-“  
“Lots and lots of copies.” Emma sighed defeated. “Fine.” She groaned. Kitty gave a “Yay!” and hurried off to greet the others.  


Sitting in a yoga position on the railing of the oncoming boat, was Dawn. A petite girl with wavy blond hair, and light skin. Walking quietly, she observed. “Your aura is a rather bruised purple and black McLean. But it suits you.” She said in a high voice. Her blue-grey eyes held an unmoving stare.  
Chris scooched away a little. “Oookay then. *whispers* weirdo. No complaints whatsoever?”  
“No. The forest will be an excellent place to meditate.”  


“Hm.” Chris appeared bored. Shaking it off, he looked to the next contestant. “Our next camper is.. Noah!”  
A preppy looking guy with a resting “not amused” face. He had slightly long dark brown hair with matching eyes, and spoke with a monotonous voice.  
“You got my memo about my life-threatening allergies?”  
“Sure someone did!” Chris claimed without the least bit of care.  
“Good. Is this where we’re staying?” Noah ignored.  
“No.” Duncan cracked his knuckles. “It’s your mother’s house. And we’re throwing a party.” He gave a menacing grin. Noah, not intimidated, replied,  
“Cute. Nice piercings original, do them yourself?”  
Duncan grabbed the smart-mouth by the lip and pulled out a needle out of nowhere. “Yeah, you want one?”  
“Ugh, uh no thanks. Can I have my lip back please?” He spoke, though slightly slurred by his lower lip being pulled at.  
Duncan released with a smile.  
“Thanks.” Noah said without changing his tone a bit. Kitty leaned in to Emma.  
“Wow. How much can you not care?”  


A loud voice could be heard clearly from the next coming boat. “What’s up ya’ll? Leshawna’s In the house!” A busty black female was shouting and waving. She had a thick ponytail, large hoop earrings, a dot on her cheek, and she was completely slaying. In the group, Harold’s mouth dropped open in a gasp (if it already wasn’t hanging by default) in total shock as Leshawna walks confidently up the dock, “Yo baby, hey how you doin’? How’s it goin’?” and high-fiving Chris as she walked by carrying her bling-covered suitcase.  


“Feel free to quit and save yo’selves the trouble cause I came to win.” She smiled charmingly.  
She approached the group with a friendly smile. “Oh what’s up ma brother?” She said to D.J. “Gimme some sugar baby!” D.J. nods and smiles at her, high-fiving her too. Harold peered in behind her.  
“I’ve never seen a girl like you in real life before.” He said absentmindedly.  
“Excuse me?” She turned to him, but with her continuous grin.  
“You’re real big. And loud.”  
“WHAT did you say to me? Oh NO you didn’t. You have not seen anything yet, I’ll show you big baby.” She walked up ready to fight, and Harold struck a karate pose. DJ and Trent moved in to hold her back as she struggled against them.  
“Oh yeah? You want some of this? Well come ON then.”  


“Alright campers.” Chris intervened. “Settle down.” The others who pulled back relaxed. Leshawna straightened her shirt and looked at Harold, who just gave her a sheepish smile.  


In a cloud of hairspray, emerged Anne Maria. She had thick purple mascara, thick lipstick, white hoop earrings, an extremely fake orange tan, and voluminous poofy hair. She wore a springy pink tank top and tight jeans that did nothing to hide her curvy shape. She talked in a New York accent, and sprayed her hair in a ridiculous amount of hair spray.  
“Ah yeah, three more coats oughta do it.”  
“Anne Maria! Wel- *cough cough* Welcome to _*cough cough*_ your- *cough* Ok. Tan in a can, _can_ you just STOP?” He waved a hand in front of his now plugged nose.  
“Sorry, but all of _this_ *gestures to her hair* takes time and money.” She walked up to the rest, covered in fumes.  
Everybody began to cough, some backing away.  


“Ugh, yeah. And LUNGS.” Emma waved away the pollution.  
The next boat carries Ezekiel, a beanie wearing, shaggy brown hair having, pale guy. Normal looking, really.  
“Ezekiel. What’s up man?” Chris holds up a hand. Ezekiel looks up and points instead. In a accented and a bit awkward voice, he answers, “I think I see a bird.”  


Trent stifles a laugh. Chris, for a change, sympathetically lays a hand on his shoulder and says,  
“Okay dude. I know you don’t get out much. Been homeschooled your whole life, raised by freaky prairie people. Just don’t say much and try not to get kicked off too early. Okay?”  
Ezekiel nodded to everything. “Yessir.”  
“That’s just.. wow.” Gwen said.  


The boat quickly came, and went. Christ grinned again. On came a short, skinny but big headed guy wearing preppy clothing, split apart brown hair, blue eyes, and uneven teeth. Though a bit of a nerd, he waltzed up like a lady’s man.  


“Cody. The Code-ster. The Code-meister!” They high-fived.  
“Dude, psyched to be here man. See the ladies have already arrived. Alright.” He smiles, giving his best “come-on” look, and struts by the girls. He turns to Leshawna and takes a breath to say something, but she put a finger to his mouth.  
“Save it short stuff.” She said returning to her hands-on-hip pose. Cody smiles and takes it back.  
Now in a different mood from the before sleazy atmosphere, comes a scarier one. One foot stomped heavily on the dock, belonging to the muscular Eva. She wore a straight ponytail, a stern unibrow, workout clothes and large mole near her lips.  


“Eva.” Chris grinned as Eva walked past him. “Nice. Glad you could make it.” Cody held out a hand to high-five, which Eva ignored and proceeded to drop her purple duffel bag onto his foot.  
“Ow!” Cody held up his foot. “What’s in there? Dumbbells?”  
“Yes.” Eva held her glare. Duncan looked up to D.J.  
“She’s all yours man.” D.J. didn’t look too ecstatic.  


“Our next camper: Mike!” Chris continued. Off the ship and to the dock was a tall, skinny, but still well-built guy. He had a dark brown and spiked up hair, a light brown complexion, and crooked front teeth. He looked around before asking,  
“Um… this is..?” He dropped his duffel bags, confused.  
“Yep. Welcome to Wawanakwa dude.” Chris pointed an open hand to the smelly cabins and dirty beach, There was a seagull with some plastic wrap around its neck.  
“That’s just… great!” He gave an uneasy smile. He walked up to the group, a bit nervous. “Hey! I’m Mike, glad to-”  


“WOOHOO!” Mike, and everyone else turned back to the source. Interrupting, was a very enthusiastic Owen who just arrived on the dock. He pumped his fist to the air.  
“O-wen! Welcome!” Chris shouted with more vigor. Owen picked him up in a back-cracking hug and squeezed.  
“Awesome to be here man. YEAH!! Man, this is just so..” Owen paused in thought. Gwen offered sarcastically.  
“Awesome?”  
“Yes! Awesome! WOOO! Are you gonna be on my team?” Gwen rolled her eyes while twirling a cuckoo finger next to her head.  
“Oh, I sure hope so.”  
“WoOoOoOoOo!” Chris picked at his ear.  
You about finished?”  
“Sorry dude, I’m just so psyched!”  


“Cool.” Chris replied. “And here comes Courtney.” A polite looking, tan, brunette waved on the nearing bus. She had neat hair, and a formal outwear. Chris offered her a hand and she walked onto the dock.  
“Thank you.” She grinned curtly. “Hi!” She said to the campers. “You must be the other contestants. It’s really nice to meet you all.”  
Owen grasped her hand and shook it vigorously. “How’s it going? I’m Owen!”  
“Nice to meet you Oooww…wow.” Courtney turned behind and trailed off. Everyone looked in the direction of the oncoming ship. On it, was a fit, tan, and gorgeous model with charming blue eyes. All of the guys and girls (the most excited being Owen) were in awe. His moderately messy hair blows in the wind, and his face is turned to the sun like some Greek God.  


The boat pulls up and Chris turned to the campers.  
“This, is Justin. Welcome to Total Drama Camp.” He gave a fistbump.  
“Thanks Chris, this is great.”  
“Just so you know, we picked you based entirely on your looks.”  
“I can deal with that.” Justin shrugged, still smiling.  
Owen ran up to him. “I like your pants.”  
“Thanks man.”  
“Cause they look like they’re all worn out. *laughs* did you buy ‘em like that?”  
“Uh, no. Just had them for a while.” Justin replied while walking down the group, the majority of the girls stricken.  
“Oh.. cool!” Owen gave a thumbs up. He turned. “Stupid.” He slapped himself on the forehead.  
The boat gave another honk, dropping off a bitter looking ginger. Scott had slick back hair, blue eyes, with some freckles here and there. He wore a loose white sleeveless shirt and buckle showing pants. He also wore a dirty look.  


Chris nodded. “Scott. How you doing dude?” He held up a hand. Scott blew off the hand and sniffed his armpit first, then looked around instead. Chris quickly retracted his hand.  
“Hmm, smelly waters… life threatening structures… old creaky cabins… not baad.” Scott leered with a pinched voice.  
“Yep, feel free to get used to it.” McLean smirked.  


“Hello!” A cheerful red-haired girl on the edge of the boat waved pleasantly.  
“And that’s Zoey.” Chris said. Her hair tied into two short sprouts, she wore cyan earrings and a large pink and yellow flower on the side of her head. Wearing retro clothing, she had large brown eyes and came up to shake hands with Chris.  
“Nice to meet you!” She held a red bag-pack and duffel bag. She looked around as she stood next to Mike. Excited, she nudged Mike on the elbow.  
“Isn’t this cool? I’ve never been to an island before!” Mike smiles lovingly.  
“Yeah.. It’s beautiful.” He agreed, but probably to something else. They hold contact for some time before the boat honked again, bringing in its last camper.  
“Hey everyone! Izzy!” Chris looked to the pretty girl with fiery red hair and slightly crazed eyes coming on the boat. 

“Hi Chris! Hiiii! Hiiii! Whoa!” She trips out of the boat, but doesn’t make it, and cracks the dock with her chin as she fell into the water.  
“Ooh! That was bad! Hahaha!” Tyler grinned.  
“Guys. She could be seriously hurt?” Courtney ran over and helped Izzy up to the dock. Izzy dropped soaking wet, and shook around like a dog, spraying some on Courtney.  


“That felt… so- ugh… good!” Izzy instantly got up. “Except for hitting my chin. Is this summer camp?! That is so cool! Do you have paper mache here? Are we having lunch soon?”  
Owen got up and pointed, “THAT, is a _good call!”_  


“First things first, we need a group photo for the promos.” Chris said. “Everyone on the end of the dock!” The 26 teens did just that and posed as Chris hopped onto the highest point of the boat with a camera.  
“Okay! One. Two. Three.” _Click._ “Oops! Okay, forgot the lens cap.” Chris pointed to the camera. He pressed a button and looked again.  
“Okay, hold that pose. One. Two- oh. No wait. Cards full. Hang on!”  


“Come on man, my face is starting to freeze.” Leshawna rolled her eyes.  
“Got it. Okay, everyone say, ‘Wawanakwa!’” Chris said.  
“Wawanakwa- aaAAH!” They all screamed as the dock finally gave way and broke down in half. Later shown pictures have the campers all not so happily gasping for air.  
“Okay guys. Dry off and meet at the campfire pit in ten!” Chris announced.  
Most of the people knew how to swim. A few though…  


“Help!” Cameron voice gargled under the water. “I-I can’t swim! I don’t know how.” Mike and Zoey swam to the spot of bubbles.  
“Hang on!” Mike shouted.  


“I’m coming!”  
“I’m coming!”  


They both halted near the drowning boy.  
“Oh, ahaha, no you first please.” Mike offered gentlemanly.  
“Oh no, please. Go ahead! I insist.” Zoey replied.  
“Well I mean if you insist, heh.” He grinned. Cameron’s hand splashed up and grabbed Mike by the head, pulling him down. Zoey gasped.  
“Hold on!” She dove under and pulled back up Mike, who was holding Cameron. Mike spit out a stream of water and gasped.  
“Thanks! I owe you one.” He panted, smiling. Cameron just groaned, coughing out a fish.

\---

“This. Is your home, for the next eight weeks.” Chris spoke to the large group.  
“The campers sitting around you will be your cabin mates, your competition, and maybe even your friends. Ya dig?” Harold looked over to Duncan, who responded with a curled up fist.  
“The camper who manages to stay on Total Drama Camp the longest without getting voted off will win 100,000 dollars!” Duncan stepped forward.  
“Excuse me. What would the sleeping arrangements be? Because I’d like to request a bunk under _her.”_ He pointed to Heather.  
“They’re no co-ed are they?” Heather asked.  
“No.” Chris shook his head. “Girls get one side of each cabin and dudes get the other.  


“Excuse me, Kyle? Can have a cabin with the lakeside view since I’m the prettiest?” Lindsay rose her hand.  
“Ok- you are. But that’s not really how it works here. And, it’s _Chris.”_ He replied.  
“Ooh, ooh!” Kitty jumped up. “Can we first just take a quick picture over here?” She held up her camera. Emma pulled her down. “Ow! Heyyy.” Kitty rubbed her wrist.  
Emma sighed. “Careful. Chris might confiscate your phone.” Kitty gasped.  
“No!”  


“This can _not_ be happening.” Gwen glumly huffed. Owen grabbed Gwen and Tyler, who was sitting next to them) in a head hug.  
“Aw, come on guys! It’ll be fun! It’s like a big sleepover.”  
Tyler whispered to Gwen. “At least you don’t have to sleep next to _him.”_ They both looked to the side, where Duncan was gripping a poor moose around the neck and giving it a tough noogie. Tyler and Gwen exchanged looks.  
Dawn stood up and cried. “Stop! Leave the poor moose alone!”  
“Heh, why don’t you come over and make me?” Duncan challenged.  


Chris resumed without so much as blinking.  
“Here’s the deal!” Chris held up a sheet of paper. “We’re gonna split you into two teams, if I call your name out you’ll stand over there: Beth. Lindsay. Heather. Owen. Noah. Leshawna. Emma. Kitty. Cameron. Ezekiel. Mike. Zoey. Anne Maria.”  
Chris held up a long roll and threw it to Owen. “From this moment on, you are officially known as… the Screaming Gophers!”  
“Yeahaha!” Owen held the green sheet which rolled down to a picture of the said screaming gopher. “I’m a gopher! Woo!”  


“The rest of you over here!” Chris continued. “Courtney. Eva. Tyler. Duncan. *Duncan stopped in his noogying* Izzy. D.J., Cody, Scott, Harold, Dawn, Justin, Gwen, Trent. Move, move, move, move!”  
Dawn looked to her new campers, specifically Duncan, and sighed. Courtney came up to her.  
“Dawn, is it? Come on! It’ll be okay. I don’t like him either.” She smiled. Dawn looked to her and gasped.  
“Oh! Your aura is exceptionally purple, with a hint of brown.”  
“Thank… you? Let’s just go with the others.” Courtney grabbed and led her to the group. Chris tossed Harold a red roll of fabric this time.  
“You guys will officially be known as… The Killer Bass!” The roll revealed the logo of a very angry fish patched on messily with stiches.  
“That’s awesome.” Harold stared down at it. “It’s like… amazing.”  
“Alright campers.” Chris is seen again, with a more anticipating expression. “You and your team will be on camera in all public areas during this competition.”  


_*static* A dirty outhouse was presented from the inside, some flies buzzing about._  


**Chris: You will also be able to share your innermost thoughts on tape with video dairies anytime you want. Let the audience at home know what you’re really thinking.** He winked.  


**Or, just get something off your chest.**  


_*static*_  


**Gwen: Um, okay.** She was crossing her arms, still unamused. **So far this sucks.**  


_*static*_  


**Cameron: I am what’s known as a “bubble boy”.** He put on some hand lotion. **Growing up my mom was really overprotective. So I’ve never gone swimming before... up until six hours ago I’ve never done anything before. Except read and sigh a lot.** *sigh* **But that doesn’t mean I’m not a force to be reckoned with!** He puffs up a little. A butterfly finds its way into the outhouse fluttering it’s orange wings. Cameron gets excited. **No way! Danaus plexippus? A monarch butterfly?** The butterfly lands lightly on Cameron’s head. He bends back, cracking from the sudden “weight”. **Aaugh! Ooh- it’s so heavy!** He slumps down on the seats, defeated.  


_*static*_  


**Lindsay: I don’t get it.** She was standing up, hands on hip with only her back showing. **Where’s the camera guy?**  


_*static*_  


**Emma: Ugh! Chris and his “five-star resort”.** She sighs, frustrated. **Well, no matter. I’m only here to help pay for law school, and that is what I plan on doing.**  


_*static*_  


**Mike:** He swipes the roll of flimsy toilet paper down once. **Okay! My first.. confessional! So uh, Zoey! Nice girl.** He looks down in thought. **Okay, super nice- I wonder if she’ll like a guy like me? See, I have this um… work?** He nervously states. **I just hope my condition doesn’t ruin everything for me again.** He deflates and sighs. **Oh...**  


_*static*_  


**Zoey: Wow! I can’t believe I’m in an actual reality TV show! Hosted by Chris! It’s so exciting! Everyone seems so nice. I hope they all like me.** She pondered. **I could use a few new friends. Or.. friends period.** She added on second thought. **Oh! What if they hate me? Maybe this flower was too big? Am I trying too hard? You like me right?**  


_*static*_  


**Owen: Hey everyone.** He spoke with a serious manner. **Check this out, I have something very important to say.** He solemnly stays still, then leans over a bit. *farts* Owen comes up to the camera with a snort. **Ahahaha!**  


_*static*_  


“Alright! Any questions?” Chris stood in front. “Cool. Let’s find your cabins.” In a flash, Chris walked up to two cabins placed on cinderblocks.  
“Gophers, you’re in the East Cabin. Bass, you’re in the West!” The screen door opened wide to reveal a modest and rustic display of bunks, a sundial rug, furnace stove and a stool. The windows were fully furnished with tattered curtains that matched the tacky drawers.  
“ _Bunk beds?_ ” Heather was the first in. “Isn’t this a little.. summer camp?”  
Gwen pushed aside with her suitcase. “ _That’s_ the idea genius.”  
“Ugh, shut up weird goth girl.” Heather snapped back.  
Cody walked up to Gwen. “You’re so smart. I can feel that.” He complimented. Gwen turned around.  
“Shouldn’t you be on the boy’s side?” He gave a toothy grin.  
Leshawna pulled up on the porch with her fabulous luggage when Cody was thrown out of the cabin with lightning speed. He scraped and landed near Trent’s feet, mouth full of dry grass. Trent walked on by.  


“Where are the outlets?” Lindsay asked. “I have to plug in my straightening iron.”  
“There are some in the communal bathrooms, just across the way.”  
“Communion bathrooms? But I’m not Catholic.”  
“Not communion. Commu _nal_.” Gwen sat on one of the steps leading to the porch.  
“He means we shower together.” She looked off. “Idiot.”  
Lindsay’s eyes widened and her lip trembled. She cried in an outburst, “AAWW, no- come on!” Some of the boys came out to see what the ruckus was from their cabin door.  
Owen commented to Mike and Noah who was also peeking out with him. “I’m glad we’re in our own cabin with just guys. Now what I mean?” He chuckled. The two guys didn’t respond.  
Owen stared before he explained, “I mean, no! I didn’t mean it like that!” The other two walked back in. “I love chicks. Hahaha, I just don’t wanna sleep near them.” He recoiled. “Ugh-oh, uh! I mean--!” He ran back inside.  


“Excuse me Chris?” Kitty called out. Chris turned to her. “Is there a.. chaperon of any kind in this facility?”  
“You’re all sixteen years old. As old as a counselor in training at a regular summer camp. So, other than myself, you’ll be unsupervised.” He grinned. “You’ve got a half an hour to unpack and meet me back at the main lodge. Starting *pulls out his watch* now!”  
“Sweet!” Kitty said before taking another picture of the cabin. But everyone stopped when he heard-  


“WWAAAAAAUUUUGGGHHHHHHHH!!!” A long scream coming from inside one of the girl’s cabin. A bunch crowded the door.  
“Oh _man_ that white girl can scream.” Leshawna peered in. Lindsay was on the stool, terrified.  
“W-what is it? Kill it!” There was a large cockroach walking around the rug in a loop. “ _Kill it!”_ A few from the other team walked in. D.J. being one of them. He gasped and leaped with an even higher shriek, landing in one of the bunks.  


The bunk bent backwards in the middle, and Gwen sighed. “That. Was my bed.”  
More screams elicited as some tried to stomp on it. The agile roach scampered through one person’s feet to the next. Heather and Beth opted to climb the higher bunks. Anne Maria tried to spray it, but all that did was turn some yells into coughs. She quit when she realized the roach wasn’t dying. And the screams _didn’t_ stop until Duncan stood in the bug’s way with a raised axe in his hands. The roach could almost be heard saying _help me!_ Dawn shrieked, but not because of the roach, and pushed Duncan out of the way. He landed on the bunk with an _oof!_. Unfortunately for the roach, the axe swung in the air three times before landing directly on the roach, slicing it in half.  
“Well that’s one way to kill a cockroach.” Gwen smirked. The upper half was still flinching it legs, the insides visible now. Dawn got down on her knees.  
“Noooo! I’m so sorry!” She cried. “I couldn’t save you!” She carried the remains gingerly before walking out. “I’m going to give him a _proper_ funeral.” She sniffed. Heather rolled her eyes, but Zoey followed Dawn out.  


“Oh, don’t cry Dawn! It was only a cockroach!” She called out before leaping down the steps.  
Tyler walked up to Lindsay who was still cowering behind D.J. “If you ever seen one of those again, just let me know ‘kay?” He sniffed. “Cause, you know, I can do that too.” He smiled. Lindsay gratefully returned the smile and gazed at Tyler who did the same. She giggled.  
“Psh.” Duncan blew out on nostril. “They always go for the jocks.” He grabbed the axe again, now on his shoulder. Back outside, Dawn could be seen mourning the dead. Zoey walked up to comfort her.  


“Hey, Dawn? Are.. you okay?” She cautiously walked up.  


Dawn sniffed. “No! I could have led it out to safety but I- I couldn’t! I’m sorry I couldn’t save you from that big meanie..” She buried the roach delicately, and placed one flower on the mound. Zoey cocked her head.  


“Oh, it’s not your fault. Duncan’s axe just flipped, it was out of control.” Dawn nodded.  
“I suppose.” Dawn got up.  


“Let’s focus on some positive stuff, huh?” Zoey offered.  


“Hm?”  


“Like, for one, everybody else isn’t as bloodthirsty as Duncan here. Right?” Dawn cringed.  


“If only you could see their auras.”  


“Uh.. right!” Zoey tried again. “But who knows? Maybe we’ll even make some new friends?”  


Dawn perked up. “Yes! That would be good considering you are an only child and all.”  


Zoey drew back a bit. “Wah? Who told you that?” Dawn leaned in.  


“Your soul reads like an open book! You had such a lonely childhood.” She her hand in hers. It must have been difficult.” Zoey took the hand back.  


_*static*_  


**Zoey: I don’t like to speak badly about anyone… but Dawn totally creeps me out. Reading auras, talking to animals. I’m not saying she’s a witch, but she might be a wizard.**  


_*static*_

**\---**

In a flash, all the campers were found in a straight line. There were two long tables and a bunch of stools. Antlers displayed over a white bricked fireplace, and one certain militarist Chef Hatchet shouting until you could see the veins on his neck.  


“LISTEN UP! I serve it three times a day, and you’ll eat it three times a day. Grab your tray, get your food, and sit your butts down NOW!” The utensils and pots rumbled from his booming voice.  
“Excuse me.” Beth spoke up. “But will we be getting all the major food groups?” Chef just dumped a hairy glob of red meat onto the last plate, and the campers at front wasted no time in grabbing them.  
Harold joined in. “Yeah, cause I get hypoglycemic real bad if I don’t get enough sugar.” Chef zoomed in with his broad neck and spit,  
“You’ll get a whole lot of SHUT THE HECK UP!”  


Owen and Noah were up next. Owen whispered, “Have a cow...” To which Noah chuckled lowly.  
“WHAT WAS THAT?” They both flinched. Chef waved his finger. “Come closer fat-boy, I didn’t hear you.”  
“Um!” Owen grabbed a tray. “I didn’t really say anything important.”  
“I’m sure you DIDN’T.” Noah took his tray, but Chef stopped him.  
“YOU. Scrawny kid. Gimme your plate.” He held up a scoopful of mystery meat. He dumped it onto his plate, which latched right back up onto the spoon. Chef rewinded and dumped it again. Noah, with a confused look, walked off.  
Eva and Leshawna were next to each other, next. Leshawna smiled. “Yo, wassup girl?” Eva turned, emotionless. Surprised, Leshawna looked away and glared as Eva walked off with her tray.  
“Oh it’s gonna be like _that_ is it?”  
“NEXT!”

****

\--- 

****

“Excuse me, my nutritionist says that I shouldn’t eat any white sugar, white flour or like, dairy.” Chef stood motionless, save for him grabbing a nearby wandering fly. Gwen replied instead.  


“I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem.” As she looked disdainfully down on her still flinching meat.  
“Cool!” Lindsay walked away happily.  


“Okay.” Gwen turned to Chef. “I hate to be predictable and complain on the first day, but I think mine just moved.”  
Chef raised a large hammer and pounded once onto the plate of meat, splattering it all over him and Gwen.  
“Right!” Gwen looked up. “Okay then.” She complained no further and walked off to her team’s table. There Cody tried to sit next to her and stuck in a spoonful of oatmeal gruel. Freezing though, a tinge went up through Cody’s hair and he spat it out immediately.  


“*cough* Ugh! So that’s why gruel rhymes with cruel.” He shuddered. The pit out contents could be found dripping on Scott’s face. He glared.  
“Oh- sorry man.” Cody chuckled. A plate was swiftly thrown on Cody’s head, his eyes rolling everywhere.  


_*static*_  


**Scott: Hehehe.** He was scraping a stick of wood with a flint. **Wimp. I grew up on a dirt farm, I can always chomp on a clod if _I_ get the munchies. ** Exemplifying, he held up a lump of hardened dirt and rocks and took a biteful. He chewed for a while before grinning. The teeth shattered into little pieces, leaving Scott staring down on it.  


_*static*_  


Anne Maria ate the gruel while spraying her hair with excessive hairspray once more. The clouds drifted to Cameron who was trying to eat his. He coughed violently.  
Anne Maria noticed. “Sorry short stuff, on the upside- now your lungs are waterproof!” Cameron choked.  
“W-wow, thanks.”  


Owen was found digging in, unlike the others and shoveled in so much gruel so fast, his own spoon slipped and lodged itself in his throat. The shape of the spoon was barely visible as Owen struggled to get it down. Kitty eeped.  
“Whoa there! Careful, lemme give a hand!” She retracted her arm and gave a good punch to his back. The spoon shot out of Owen’s mouth and flew it’s way to the other side, where Mike and Zoey were conversing.  


“I like waffles too!” Mike replied, before getting hit on the head suddenly. “Ow!” He rubbed his head. Then, he jolted up and gasped in air suddenly. As if his whole persona changed, his back arched down reflexively and his left eyes squinted. His mouth curled back as a grandpa’s and he spoke in a hoarse voice.  


“Darn kids!” He turned angrily. “Back in my day we ate with our hands like decent folk!” Zoey laughed.  
“Hahaha! You’re hilarious!” She responded. “Unless you’re not joking. But, you are, right?” She gave a quieter laugh.  


_*static*_  


**Mike: Okay, okay, I admit it- I.. I have Multiple Personality Disorder. I-I try to control them! But they never listen to me.** He slumps down. **I’m okay with people knowing, but I _can’t_ let Zoey know! She’ll think I’m a freak!  
**

_*static*_  


****

**Zoey: Mike is so sweet. You know- I really don’t get his old man comedy routine, but, I bet it’s really funny if you’re from like France or something?  
**

****

_*static*_  


****

As Mike gasped back to normal, Chris walked into the building. “Welcome to the main lodge.”  
Kitty pushed away her plate. “Er, Chris? Can we order a pizza?” She asked. Chef launches a large hatchet, it spins, barely missing Kitty before slamming into the wall next to Chris, staying there.  
“W-whoa! It’s fine! B-brown slop is fine!! Right guys?” Kitty smiled nervously. Emma shook her head. Scared murmurs of agreement increased.  


****

“Your first challenge begins in one hour.” Not saying any more, he turned, leaving them all wondering.  
“What will he make us do?” Kitty asked her sister. Emma rolled her eyes.  
“Oh, probably something life-threatening. That’s what I’ve been gathering so far.”  
“It’s our first challenge.” D.J. shrugged. “How hard can it be?” 

****

****

****

\--- 

****

****

****

On the very tip of the dorsal like cliff on the island, the campers peered down the tremendous height needed to go down before plunging into the lake waters below.  


****

“Oh ****.” D.J. gulped. Chris walked in to explain the first challenge to the teens all in their swimsuits now.  
“Okay, today’s challenge is three-fold. Your first task is to jump down this 1,000 foot high cliff into the lake.  
“Piece of cake.” Tyler flirted to Lindsay, who was waving back at him.  


****

“If you look down you will see two target areas. The one wider represents the part of the lake that we have stocked with,  
“Psychotic, *chuckle* man-eating sharks!”  
“Told you.” Emma groaned.  
“Inside that area is a safe zone. That’s your target area. Which we’re pretty sure is shark free.”  
“Excuuse me?” Leshawna turned to Chris.  


****

“For each member of your team that jumps and actually.. survives, there will be a crate of supplies waiting below. Inside each crate are supplies that you’ll need for the second part of the challenge.” He paused.  
“Building, a _hot-tub!_ The team with the best one gets to have a wicked, hot-tub party tonight!” Chris pointed to the camera.  
“The losers… will be sending someone home. Let’s see… Killer Bass. You’re up first.”  
Scott looked down, aghast. “Sharks- are you _kidding_ me?” He shuddered. “So.. who wants to go first?” Silence ensues.  
Owen spoke up first, “Hey, don’t sweat it guys. I heard that these shows always make the interns do the stunt first to make sure it’s survivable!”

****

****

****

 

****

****

****

“We need to test the stunts first!” Chris stood behind Chef, who was wearing goggles, swim trunks, an orange tube, and his hat yet still. “You know that.”  


****

“Do I look like an intern?”  
“No. But the ones we had are all in the hospital. Come on just jump it you big chicken.” Chris bent over with chicken wings and started to bok, bok, bok, bok like one.  
“I don’t get paid enough for this man.” Chef slapped his goggles on, and jumped. His screams echoed against the cliff walls, before landing… right outside the safe zone. He swam up, gasping.  
“Hey! I made it! I made it man.” He said relieved. Then, he froze. “ _Something just brushed by my foot!_ Hey Chris man!” He yelled, voice cracking. 

****

“Something ain’t right down here!” Suddenly, he was pulled under for a few seconds. He leapt out of the lake and shrieked before the shark could grab a bite.  
Chris checked something off of a clipboard. “Well, that seems safe enough.”

****

****

****

 

****

****

****

“So.” Eva said loudly. “Who’s up?”  
Duncan smirked at Courtney. “Ladies first.”  


****

“Ooh, ooh! Me! I wanna, I’m a lady!” Izzy ran up to the edge. “Or, at least I think I am. Maybe a squirrel. WOOHOO!” Izzy hopped of the edge and let out a crazed but happy scream. Miraculously, she landed right in the safe zone.  
“Yeah! Hahaha, let’s do it again!” The rest looked after.  


****

“She did it! Yeah, yeah! I’m next.” Tyler said, ready to jump. He ran back and jumped off with a start. “COWABUNGA! Hoohoo!” He dove head high and chest first.  
_**Clank!**_ “OOHHH!” Izzy laughed, on the boat that picked her up. Tyler landed right on the buoy.  
“Aah…” He slid off in pain, but still into the safe zone. One by one, the contestants jumped off the cliff, all having something to say, except for Duncan.  


****

Flailing his arms and screaming like a girl: Cody. “YAAHH!”  
“Look out below!” Eva called down while falling.  
Duncan just silently fell with his arms folded, like the total bad boy he is.  
Justin looked at himself in the mirror as he fell in. But he dove silently into the shark zone.  


“Paddle! Paddle!” The previous people currently in the boat called out. Two shark fins swam up behind Justin, ready to pounce. They roared with jaws wide open, but closed them and stopped. Justin, with droplets of water rolling down his perfectly sculpted body, flashed a charming grin at the sharks who were instantly seeing in hearts. Justin came over to the shore in victory, on the heads of the two sharks who dropped him off there.  


Back up, D.J. was up next- but very hesitant to jump. “Uh-uh, no way man. I’m not jumping.”  
“Scared of heights?” Chris asked.  
“Yeah, ever since I was a kid.”  
“That’s okay big guy.” Chris grinned with false compassion. “Unfortunately, that also makes you a chicken, so.” Chris walked up to him and placed a hat made of rubber that looked like a chicken onto D.J.’s head. “-you’ll have to wear this for the rest of the day.”  
“Aw man, for real?”  
“Bok,bok,bok!” Chris taunted. “That means the chicken path down is that-a-way.” D.J. sulked and walked over to the escalator, which was apparently embedded to the side of the cliff.  
“Next!”  


****

Harold came up. “Yes! WAAOOO!” He jumped down, legs and arms both high up. Hitting splat down the water in a splits, he gave a more pain-infested howl. “AAOOOOWWWW!” The team cringed, birds flew, even the sharks “ooh”ed in sympathy.  
Trent looked down, gulping. Chris snickered.  
“Ooh, hate to see that happen.” Before Trent could jump, Gwen patted him on the shoulder.  
“Want me to go first? You know, so you can kind of wipe that dive away before jumping?” She crossed her arms.  
“Um, no thanks but.. thanks for asking.” Trent grinned before jumping down. “YeeEEeeEEAAH!” He splashed into the safe zone. “Woo!” He stuck a fist out. Gwen sighed in relief, before following too.  


****

“YAAUUGGHH!” Gwen shrieked.  
“Oooommm…” Dawn peacefully fell in another yoga position.  
Scott still hasn’t jumped. He stood, trembling before the heights. Then, a lightbulb hit him. “I’m not doing it.” Scott grinned, arms folded.  
“Uh, you sure dude? You’re gonna have to wear… the chicken hat. Bok, bok, bok!” Scott nodded.  
“Yeah, yeah Chris _McChin_ , I know.” Chris gasped offensively.  


****

_*static*_  


****

**Scott: It’s all part of my strategy. Let my team lose so the Gophers develop a false sense of security, before I pick ‘em off! ‘Sides, what’s the big deal on wearing chickens as a hat? I did that all the time back at the farm.** *sighs* **That was fun.**  


****

_*static*_  


****

“Does the cleft on my chin really look that big?”  
“Yep.” Scott smirked. “And it looks like a butt.” Chris, with contempt, scooched Scott over to the edge.  
“Oh reeaally? Maybe you should go get your eyes washed up, Scheming Scott.” Chris pushed him.  
Scott waved his arms about. “Whoa-whoa-WHOANOWAITYAAAAA!” Scott plunged into the shark zone. Underwater with his mouth puffed up, he starts to swim his way up. Before he could though, he meets face to face with the biggest, baddest, brutal-est shark there. He shrieks bubbles out and gets bitten by the seemingly smiling shark at least once before finally making his way out of there.  


****

“YAAHH! SHAAARRRK!” He gasps.  


****

_*static*_  


****

**Scott: Oww..** He pulled at a visible point sticking out of his butt. He plucked it out. **What the-? A shark tooth? Grrrr.. if I could, I would eliminate CHRIS.**  


****

_*static*_  


****

The lighter grey shark chased Scott until he made it onto the shore. “Ugh… what the…” He got up with a groan, and saw Dawn on a rock. She was still meditating, but with a starfish on the tips of her finger this time.  
“How are you- you’re not even wet!” It’s true, she was completely dry.  
“Hm? Oh, I used a shortcut.” She grinned. The same shark then came out of nowhere and roared a toothy (save for one) roar. It noticed this, and then glared at Scott who took his tooth. Scott yelped and scampered off.  
“Oh, don’t worry there. You still have a beautiful complexion.” Dawn soothed. The shark seemed pacified for a moment, before roaring again and making Dawn run off with a squeal. Chris chuckled at the scene.  


****

“Hehe, I _like_ that one. Next!”  
Last was Courtney. “Excuse me Chris. I have a medical condition.”  
“What condition?”  
“A condition that prevents me from jumping off cliffs.”  
“You can chicken out if you _want_ but, it might end up costing your team the win.” Chris turned to her. “And then they’ll hate you.”  
“It’s a calculated risk. I’ve seen the other team, and I don’t think they’ll jump.” She turned to them, confident.  
“Alright.” Chris shrugged, putting on the Chicken Hat on Courtney’s head. “Here’s your chicken hat! So! Let’s tally up the results.” He looked down at his clipboard. “Ok. That’s 11 jumpers and 2 chickens.” He turned to the second team.  
“Screaming Gophers, if you can beat that, we’ll throw in a pull-cart to put your crates on!”  


****

“Nice!” Mike saw the cart waiting for them down on the beach. “Okay guys, who’s up first?” Again, silence.  
“I’m sorry.” Heather crossed her arms. “There’s no way I’m doing this.”  
“Why not?” Beth asked.  
“Hello, national T.V.? I’ll get my hair wet.”  
Emma was perturbed. “You’re kidding, right?”  
“If she’s not doing it I’m not doing it.” Lindsay declared, giving a glance to Heather who smiled.  


****

“Oh, you’re _doing it._ ” Leshawna glared.  
“Says who?” Heather bit.  
“Says _me._ I’m not losing this challenge cause you got your hair did, you spoiled little daddy’s girl.”  
“Back off ghetto glamoured too-tight-pants-wearing rap-star-wannabe!” The others began to back off, entranced by the smackdown. Kitty whipped out her phone.  
“Mall-shopping, pony-tail-wearin’, Teen-Girl-readin’, pink in a high-school-prom-queen.” She angled her neck side to side, ready for more.  
Heather paused. “Well at least I’m popular.” Emma and Kitty back away, and Noah stayed smiling at the catfight the entire time. Anne Maria was just finishing her second coat of hairspray.  


****

“You’re _jumpin’_.”  
“ _Make me!_ ” They both stared at each other, until Leshawna picked Heather right up with two hands and went over to the cliff, Heather too shocked to speak. She threw Heather down “AAHH!!” and she splashed into the safe zone.  
Swimming up, Heather sneezed and turned up. “Ugh- Leshawna you are so dead.”  
“Hey- I threw you into the safe zone didn’t I?” Leshawna called down. Then to herself, “Now I just hope I can hit it too.” She hopped off with her eyes closed.  
“AAAAUUHH!” A splash was heard, and she came up right next to Heather in the safe zone, giving her still confident smile.  


****

“I thought this was going to be a talent contest!” Lindsay looked down and then to Chris.  
“Ahahaha, yeeah! Haha, no.” Chris replied.  
And once more, a line of campers began the long way down.  
Lindsay yelled, followed by Anne Maria.  
“My hair-spray!” She cried as it slipped out of her fingers.  
“Yeaah!” Kitty flew down. “Quick pic!” She snapped a photo.  
“Kitty!” Emma yelled as she dived closely behind.  
“Whoa-WHoOA!” Noah dove in afterwards, but still managing to sound somewhat bored.  
Ezekiel took a jump and fell with a “Yee-Haaaww!”. He didn’t foresee the lump of rock though, and hit it, making him spin off around into the safe zone. The rest of the team on the shore cheered. Ezekiel gave a thumbs up.  
Cameron was next in line. He shuddered. “Oohh boy.” Mike patted him on the back.  


****

“Hey Cam, don’t sweat it. It’s all be over soon as you reach the safe zone. Besides! Don’t you wanna experience your first jump down a cliff ever?” Mike asked.  
Cameron nodded. “Y-yeah! You’re right. Okay, here goes!” Cameron jumps off with a little bit more confidence.  
“W-WOOAA!” Splash. Cameron washed up, holding onto the floating buoy. “H-hey! I’m alive!”  
“Sweet! Nice work Cam!” Mike grinned with Zoey next to him. 

****

****

****

_*static*_

**Zoey: Mike is so sweet! The way he’s always encouraging Cameron is totally cool. The way he’s always going into character, is.. totally weird. But hey, nobody’s perfect. Right?  
**

****

_*static*_  


****

**Mike: Zoey.** *sighs* **She’s all I think about! At least when I’m the one in control.** He scratched the back of his head and nervously laughs. **Ehehehe! Heh..** *sigh*  


****

_*static*_

****

****

****

Mike prepared to jump next, looking down. “Gee… *gulp* okay. I can do this. I can- *GASP*!” Mike took a large breath in and suddenly posed gracefully. 

****

“Wrong! Only von person can do zis, Svetlana! Ze Olympic queen of gymnastics! Yaa!” Mike now seemed to have longer lashes, and his lips flushed a red. Speaking in a thick Russian accent, Svetlana cheered.  


****

“Svetlana?” Zoey asked curiously. Before they could inquire anymore, Svetlana dove in a straight perfect form. After splashing into the safe zone, she leapt out of the waters and hopped on every shark’s head out of water. After performing a triple somersault, Svetlana landed on the sandy shores and posed, ready for the gold medal.  
“Ya! Svetlana for ze win!” Svetlana pointed on leg up, trilling the “r”s. Then a large gasp.  
“Svetlana? Mike! How did you do that?” Cameron asked, walking up to him.  
Mike reverted back to his old self, dizzy. “Huh? Uh, do what?” He laughed nervously as he found the other teammates just staring at his own unremembered performance. Zoey also looked confused, but dove down nevertheless. She fell, close, but not in the safe zone. Gasping for air, she looked at the two large sharks surrounding her.  


****

“Uh-oh.” One shark blocked her as she tried to swim away, and the other held a bottle of ketchup. “Please let me go!” Zoey gulped as she saw the shark lick his chops. Then, with more ferocity, she yelled, “I said let me GO!” And she punched the shark in the gills. It winced and Zoey did the same to the one behind her. They both fell over into the water.  
“Oh! Sorry, but I did tell you to stop.” She pointed out.  


****

Back up the cliff, it was Beth’s turn. “… I-I can’t do it.” She decided. “I’m too scared.” Chris held up the chicken hat.  
“I’m sorry!” She called down. Leshawna and Anne Maria commenced the “bok, bok, bok!”s whilst laughing.  
“That is like so lame.” Lindsay said. “Right?” She turned to Heather for approval.  
“Fully lame.”  
Beth walked down with the hat on head and took the loser way down.  
“Okay campers.” Chris spoke into a red loudspeaker so everyone can hear. “There’s only one person left! You guys need this jump for the win.” He turned to Owen who only wore his shorts. His torso having a bad tan line. “No pressure dude.”  
Owen looked a bit relieved.  


****

“Okay there’s pressure!” Owen gulped. The team below began to cheer and encourage Owen to jump. Slipping on a pair of arm floats he took in a deep breath before posing.

****

****

****

_*static*_  


****

**Owen: Oh, I was pretty darn nervous. See the thing is, I’m not that strong a swimmer.**  


****

_*static*_  


****

**Kitty: I’m looking at this guy thinking, there’s no way he’s gonna make it!** She whipped out her phone. **So I took a vid!** She smiled.  


****

_*static*_  


****

**Emma: I thought, if he jumps this… he’s going to die.**  


_*static*_

“Take a good run at it buddy.” Chris smirked. “You can do this.”  
Owen took a good length back. “I’m going to die now.” He turned. “I’m going to _freakin’_ die now.” The team stood silently as they looked up.  


“Come on big guy..” Leshawna said. Closing his eyes, he burst them open and Owen started to sprint.  
“YYAARRGHH!” He took the last step and jumped.  
“OOHH CRAP!” He shouted as falling down. “WAAAHAHAHAA!” Like a plane about to crash, he shouted one final yell before splashing in.  
“WAAHH!” **_SPLASH._** A huge, nuclear equivalent wave swept across everybody on the beach, soaking them all. A shark was found clinging onto a pine tree, in fear.  


********** **

“Yes!” Owen cried. “Yeah, oh YEAH! Who’s the man!” He was floating in the safe zone, ecstatic. His team rose in a collective “yes!” and “go Owen!”  
“The winners: the Screaming Gophers!” Chris yelled into the microphone.  
“That was awesome Owen!” Mike nodded. He looked at Owen who seemed to be worried, or searching in the water. “What’s wrong?”  
“I uh, think I lost my bathing suit.” Panning out, the team shook with a different collective of shouts.

********** **

****

********** **

\--- 

********** **

****

********** **

“Forty-nine bottles of pop on the wall, forty-nine bottles of pop! If one of those bottles should happen to fall, forty-eight bottles of pop on the wall!” The Screaming Gophers sang while tugging the crateful of carts back to the cabins. Way, way, way behind were the Killer Bass, grunting to push and kick the boxes back.  


********** **

“Ow!” Courtney drew back. “I think I just got a splinter!” Eva walked over and lifted the entire crate with her hands.  
“Shut up, and pick up your crate.” She fumed, dropping it front of her. “Chicken.” She eyed her, scrutinizing.  
“Hey!” Courtney said. “I’m the only one with CIT camping experience here. You need me!” She pointed. Eva and D.J. exchanged glances.  


********** **

“Ow!” Courtney slapped the fly that landed near her eyes. “I think something just bit me!”  


********** **

Going back to the Screaming Gophers…  


********** **

“-should happen to fall, twenty-eight bottles of pop on the wall!” Beth pulled two handles of the cart so that Justin didn’t have to do anything.  
“Hey look! There’s the campground!”  
“That was pretty easy!” Owen said.  
“I’m pleasantly surprised.” Cameron panted, only sweating a little.  


********** **

\---

“Remember! You guys can only use your teeth to open the crates.” Chris reminded, walking by the teens trying to open the boxes by pulling it by their teeth. “I came up with that one.” Chris proudly chided.  


Cameron tried to open one, but fumbled back instead. “Ow! My maxillary central incisors!” He rubbed his mouth. “Hey Mike? Can you help me out here?”  
“Hm? Sure Cam!” Mike nodded, walking over. He bent over, grabbing a piece sticking out of the crate with his teeth.  
“Uurrgh- come on!” He grunted. “Rrr-Yah!” He grabbed his cheek and fell back. Zoey ran over to check on him.  


“Oh my gosh! Mike, are you okay?” Zoey kneeled over. Mike gasped loudly.  
“D’oh- gosh darnit! My chompers are darn near falling out!” He complained, his one eye shut tight again.  
“Uh- here Mike! Let me see..” Zoey tried to examine his teeth, but “Mike” shooed it off.  
“Bah! It’s Chester you old sonny, and I’m not done here yet!” He got up. “Why back in my day, we didn’t have everything given to us neatly in a packed crate! We had to go and build our OWN hot tub!” He waved his fist. Zoey and Cameron looked at each other, a bit worried.  
Chris rode back to check on the Killer Bass.  
“You guys are way behind the other team. Like, way behind. What’s the problem?” Chris looked around, counting only 12 campers. “Wha- and where’s Dawn?”  


********** **

“She’s collecting shells.” Courtney answered. Chris turned and yelped.  
“Gah!” Courtney’s right eye was now pink and swollen nearly shut. “Oh my boxers that’s bad.”  


********** **

Scott took a break and walked over to where Dawn was sitting. “Dawn? What are you doing? We need help over here!” He scowled as Dawn meditated halfway in the water. Her bag full of collectibles lay not too far off.  
“Hm? Oh, hello Scott.”  
“Can you stop doing your freaky yoga nonsense for one second?” Dawn walked up to him and put a hand on his arm.  
“You weren’t held enough as a child.” She said.  
Scott flinched.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Scott:** He was seen curled into a knee hugging position, shivering. **Okay, freaky fortune-teller girl’s gotta go.**  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

Back in front of the cabins, all the crates have finally been opened. Owen pulled out some planks.  
“Hey, check it out. I got wood!” He held them up.  
Cameron dug in one of the crate. “Tools, and what appears to be pool liner?” He pulled out the items.  
At another box, Heather and Lindsay walked up towards Leshawna, who was also pilfering through the contents.  
“I just wanted to say, I didn’t mean that about you being a ghetto rap-star wannabe.” Heather apologized. “-And, I love your earrings. They’re so pretty!”  


********** **

“Straight-up?” Leshawna perked up. “Well, I’m sorry about pushing you over the cliff and all.”  
“No worries. I need a push.” Heather replied. “Truce?” She held out a hand. Leshawna held out a fist.  
“Yeah, yeah you got it.” They both bumped their fists and resumed on a lighter tone.  
“Did you mean all that stuff you said to Lefawnda back there?” Lindsay asked.  
“Leshawna.” Heather rolled her eyes. “Ugh, no. she’s going down.” She held up a fist. “And P.S., those are the ugliest earrings I have seen in my life.”  


********** **

“Oh.” Lindsay said. Heather was applying lipstick. “So if you hate her, why were you being nice to her?”  
“You ever seen one of these shows before? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” Heather quoted.  
“Ooohhh.. I’m your friend, right?” Lindsay asked.  
“Oh yeah. For now.” Heather squinted, leaving Lindsay still a bit confused.

********** **

****

********** **

\--- 

“Finally.” Harold pushed the crate with a sigh, the other following by.  
“Hey!” Mike waved, now back to being just Mike.  
“What’s up man?” Trent said tiredly. Leshawna came up out of a box, and looked mortified as Courtney walked over. She touched her eye.  
“Ooh! What happened to your eye girl?”  
“N-nothing! Just an allergy.” She replied.  
“I… think it’s getting worse.” Tyler commented. Courtney leaned in and shushed him.  
“Shut up! We don’t want them to know that!” She whispered.  
Now with all of the Killer Bass’s boxes in a pile, a few such as Izzy got to opening the crates with their teeth. Still far behind, Cody got on one of the crates.  


********** **

“Come on guys! We can still do it if we hurry!” He urged. Harold lay drooling in his sleep. Courtney sighed.  
“Okay look guys. We have a hot tub to complete, and we need a project manager. Since I’ve actually been a CIT before, I’m electing myself. Any objections?” Courtney spoke to the demotivated crowd.  


********** **

Scott protested, “Uh yeah. Why should the chicken get to be leader?”  
“Because this chicken has got C. I. T. Experience! More than you’ll be able to comprehend dirt-boy!” Courtney growled, and Scott cowered back. “Now go open those crates!”  
“Whoa!” Scott then grinned. “Well, when you put it like that.” Courtney turned and put her hands on hip.  
“What. What?” She stared back. “Stop smiling like that!” She yelled.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Scott: Maybe it has something to do with pappy being an ex-military man or ma being a waitress, but.. I kinda like taking orders.** He smirks.  


********** **

_*static*_

********** **

****

********** **

Duncan rolled his eyes, “Where do we begin cyclops?” Startling everyone, Courtney jumped in and pointed at Duncan.  
“Open the crates.” She ordered threateningly. Then she pointed to Cody.  
“Cody, get Dawn back here. We need all the help we can get.” 

********** **

****

********** **

\--- 

********** **

****

********** **

Between the Gophers and Bass, the Gopher’s hot tub was starting to take form a lot more smoothly than the Bass. Their team also cooperated more efficiently than the fighting fishes.  


********** **

At long last, after rubbing in some pieces of duct tape here and there, they were done. The contestants stood behind their tub, awaiting for the judging. Chris walked up to the first tub, the Gophers. After examining it thoroughly, he threw his hands up.  


********** **

“This is an awesome hot tub!”  


“Alright!” “Yes!” “NICE!” They cheered and Owen came up the warm waters stark naked. Chris then went to analyze the Bass’s hot tub. The group gasped in anticipation. He tapped it twice suspiciously, and a stream of water shot into his face. The rickety hot tub creaked, and inevitably collapsed into pieces. The seagull on it glided off, and into Dawn’s arms.  
“Come now dear one, and let’s get this hideous trash choking you off.” The seagull chirred.  
“Well.” Chris stood from the puddle of cold water. “I think we have a winner here.” He unnecessarily paused. “The Screaming Gophers!”  


********** **

They celebrated as the other team looked down.  
“Gophers, you’re save from elimination and you get to rock this awesome hot tub for the rest of the summer!” He pointed to the camera. “Bonus!” The Gophers only hurrah’d more.  
“Killer Bass.” Chris looked to the dejected team. “What can I say? It sucks to be you right now. I’ll see your sorry butts at the bonfire tonight.”  
“We won!” Lindsay lifted her hands. “We get to all stay here for another three days!” Heather and Beth both hugged Lindsay. Owen, now out of the tub, yelled,  
“WooOOooOOooOO! Hahaha, yes!” They all stop hugging and look to him. He was still naked. He sung, “We get to stay-ay. We get to stay-ay! We are so awe-some! We won the contest!” He went and hugged a repulsed Heather and smiling Lindsay. 

********** **

****

********** **

\--- 

********** **

****

********** **

Back in the main lodge, the two teams were eating their “meals”.  


********** **

“Great.” Gwen rolled her eyes. “Now what.”  
“Now we have to figure out who we’re going to vote off.” Courtney spoke. Duncan, sitting next to her, pointed to her and D.J.,  
“Well, I think it should be princess, or the brickhouse here.”  
“What?” Courtney cried. “Why?”  
“Because, unless I’m mistaken, you two are the only ones here wearing chicken hats. And, if we were ever to lift a truck, I like our odds with the big guy.” D.J. smiled.  
“You guys need me! I’m only one-”  
“We know.” Gwen groaned. “-who used to be a real CIT. Get over yourself.”  
“Well, who’d you pick?” Cody asked to Courtney. Courtney looked around.  
“What about.. him!” She pointed to Tyler.  
“Noo!” Lindsay stood up, everyone stopped eating and looked at her.  
“… I-I mean.. no salt! There’s no salt on the table.” She saved. “Bummer.” Sort of.  
“Hey, at least he jumped off the cliff chicken-wings.” Duncan said.  
“Shut up!” Courtney snapped. Trent came between them.  
“Okay, everyone just relax. This is getting way too heavy.” He calmed.  
“I’ve had enough prison food for one day.” Duncan got up. “I’m gonna go have a nap.”  
“Y-you can’t do that!” Courtney said. “We haven’t decided who’s going yet!”  


********** **

“I can see that all your auras are rather troubled.” Dawn said.  
“Can you please STOP with the aura reading?” Scott entered the dining room right on her saying. He groaned. “Hey, why don’t we give _her_ the boot?”  
“What? But why, just look at your auras!” She zipped over to everyone.  
“You always strive too much to compensate.” She told Courtney who hmphed.  
“You throw yourself into working out with no purpose just to forget.” She told Eva, who dropped a dumbbell.  
“You’ve been harassed so much, always feeling rejected.” She told Harold. He shrugged.  
“And you-“ Scott covered her mouth.  


********** **

“See what I’m saying?” He grumbled.  
“Yeah, that’s foreboding at all but I’m still going to vote for Courtney.” Gwen got up with her tray, leaving. Trent shrugged and left too.  
Courtney yelled, “Hey! No, wait! Ugh…” She slapped her face. Once clear, Scott leaned in and whispered,  


********** **

“Hey, I’ve a deal.”  
“What do you want.” Courtney griped.  
“Whoa- hey. I just wanted to ah, offer you some help. If I can convince everyone to vote for Dawn instead of you, then you owe me one.” He smirked. Courtney, taken back, crossed her arms.  
“Fine, do it. I doubt you can do much though.”  
“Oh, we’ll see.” Scott ran off to start his sabotage, stopping only when he reached Dawn’s bunk. Next to her bed was a large garbage bag full of the things she’s collected so far. He smiled maliciously as he opened the bag.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Scott: Ahh. Scheming is the best.** Scott was whittling a stick of wood with a shark tooth. **Especially when getting rid of Dawn the junk-collector. But it’ll need to be quick, so I gots to be smart.** He points to his head with his shark tooth. **Smar- ow!** He poked himself in the eye with the tooth.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Courtney: Hm. Smelly, pit-stainy, but I definitely need some help if I don’t want to get voted off first. So, hmm…**  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

Tyler was putting on his track suit back in the cabin. Duncan was, as he mentioned before, taking a nap.  
“Come on dude! The bonfire’s gonna start soon.” Duncan stretched.  
“*yawn* Fine. Let me ju-“ Duncan stuck his hand under his pillow and stopped. “What the- hey! Where’s my blade?”  
“AUURGH!” The cabin shook from a yell in the next door cabin. Tyler and Duncan made their way to the girl’s door. Out of the door ripped a chair, dresser, and a pot. They ducked.  
“Whoa, what’s your problem?” Duncan got back up. It was Eva. She was fuming.  


********** **

“My dumbbells. They’re ALL GONE.”  
“Come on, you can just search for ‘em after the bonfire.” Tyler said. Duncan pointed.  
“Um. Tyler?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Your pants are missing.” He gasped, looking down.  
“MY PANTS ARE MISSING!” The cabin shook with more and more yells.  
“My mirror!” Justin’s handsome smile fell.  
“My guitar?!” Trent cried.  
“Okay.” Gwen got up. “WHO took my diary.”  
“You have a diary?” Cody asked.  
“Help!” Harold yelled. “My instruments! Noooo!” He shook his hands into the air. Izzy hung upside down from the roof.  
“Instruments?”  
“Yes! My keyboard, my kazoo, why? Oh, why!”  
“Hey! Did you know that Owen can whistle the national anthem with his nose?” Izzy grinned.  
“Uh-“  
“Isn’t that cool?!”  


********** **

“What is the commotion all about?” Dawn came from a recent meditation. “You all look so agitated.”  


********** **

“Everyone’s stuff is missing, that’s what!” Courtney explained.  
“Oh, that is very unfortunate. Would you like me to help find them?” Dawn offered. Scott walked into the group forming.  
“Hah! I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Scott smirked, holding Dawn’s bag.  
“Hey! What are you doing with my bag!” Dawn pointed.  
“Your bag, you say? What are you doing with everyone’s stuff!” He dumped out the contents, scattering everyone’s stuff. They all gasped, including Dawn.  


********** **

“Dawn, you’re a… thief?” Trent asked surprised.  
“What? No! Friends, you must listen to me. I was framed!” Harold cradles his belongings.  
“Psh, yeah right. You said it yourself, the bag is yours!”  
“Yes but-“  
“Whoa team.” Scott grinned. “This is a rat problem. And we’ll deal with this rat tonight. See you at elimination.” They all walked off, pissed. Dawn sighed worriedly.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Scott: Yeah, I stole that stuff. Threw my shark tooth in there too. I was planning on getting Dawn eventually, so it’s a win-win.**  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Dawn: I swear by the great Earth mother, I will expose Scott for the traitor he is!** She stood up, fists waving in the air. **Karmaaa!**  


********** **

*static*  


********** **

It was night, the fire cackled brightly and Chris stood in front with a plate of marshmallows.  
“Killer Bass, at camp, marshmallows represent a tasty treat that you enjoy roasting by the fire. At this camp, marshmallows represent _life._ ” Chris spoke seriously.  
Scott stretched lazily, shooting a wink at Courtney’s direction. She rolled her eyes, but nodded either way. Duncan scoffed at this in the background.  


********** **

“You’ve all cast your votes and made your decision. There are only 12 marshmallows on this place. When I call your name, come up and claim your marshmallow. The camper who does not receive a marshmallow tonight, must immediately return to the dock of shame to catch the Boat of Losers. That means, you’re out of the contest. And you can’t come back.”  
The team widened their eyes.  


********** **

“E-ver.” He held up one puffy marshmallow. “The first marshmallow goes to…”  


“… Cody.” Cody grinned and strutted to get his marshmallow poked through his stick. He shot finger guns to Gwen, who was crossing her arms.  


“… Tyler.”  
“Woo-hoo! Yeah! Place at the table!” He ran up to do the same.  


“D.J. Trent.” They smiled and walked up, D.J. still with a chicken hat on.  


“Gwen.” She lit up a bit and took the marshmallow. She smiled at Trent and he high-fived her.  


“Harold.”  
“Yesss.”  


“Izzy.”  
“Oh yeah! Hahaha.” She jumped to Chris and opened her mouth. Chris flicked it in.  


“Duncan.” He shrugged and walked up.  


“Eva.” She grunted.  


“Scott.” Scott got up and cockily stuck his tongue out at Dawn, who was clutching her bag. She threw a seashell at his head.  
“Yowch! Hey!” He went and got the marshmallow.  


********** **

“Campers. This, is the final marshmallow of the evening.” Chris stated. Courtney and Dawn both looked up, holding their sticks tightly. One of them won’t be using it.  
Chris held the plate, waiting good and long before announcing the survivor. Courtney gulped, her hands up to her face. Dawn clutched her bag tighter, glaring only at Scott.  


********** **

…  


********** **

Chris opened his mouth the two girls both dropped their things. Chris raised his hand and pointed to Courtney- no Dawn, Courtney! He waggled the finger between them back and forth and tapped his chin thoughtfully. The suspense fully killing them, Courtney pulled at her chicken hat.  


********** **

“… Courtney.” She sighed and ran up to take her marshmallow. Dawn gasped.  
“What? Wait!” Courtney got her marshmallow on a stick, and Dawn deflated. “Oh…” Courtney walked up next to Scott and whispered a “Thanks.”  
“Dock of shame is that-a-way Dawn.” Chris gestured. Dawn got up.  
“I knew the universe wouldn’t want me to win such a perverse game.”  
“Hm. Perverse, I like that.”  
“But what the universe does want me to do is sell these discarded TDC keepsakes on Craigslist, so I can start a sanctuary for all the poor critters of this island!” She held the bag close.  
“That’s adorable. Pointless, but adorable.” Chris sighed.  
“And to my fellow victims of reality Television, I urge you to rise up against the soulless, sociopathic scoundrel hiding among you!” She pointed, but it was unknown whom to since Scott was mixed amongst the crowd.  
“Chef!” Chris called. Chef came out to stop Dawn from her long speech.  


********** **

“The traitor in your midst is-“ Chef grabbed the bag and swallowed Dawn with it. She gave a muffled cry from inside. He dumped her on the boat and she came out.  
“Wait! I have to warn my teammates!” The sputtery boat honked. “The traitor is- *hooonk* It’s- *hooooooonk*!” The ship disappeared into the fog, and Dawn’s cries became inaudible.  


********** **

Scott sighed.  


“The rest of you.” Chris continued. “Enjoy your marshmallows. You’re safe… for tonight.” He grinned.  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Gwen: Yep. This camp pretty much still sucks. But now that I’m here, I guess I might as well try to win.**  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Zoey: Dawn got eliminated? That’s.. unexpected. But uh, I’m not devastated or anything.** She grinned. Then she gasped. **Oh! Was that cruel? Should I cry for her?**  


********** **

**Mike: Dawn is nice and all… but I was totally freaked out by her whole “aura reading”.** He smiles apprehensively. **Uh, sorry Dawn.**  


********** **

_*static*_  


********** **

**Scott: Hah! Take that you spell casting..er- fortune pixie.. oh whatever! I win, you lose, haha!**  


********** **

_*static*_

********** **

****

********** **

“To the screaming Gophers!” Kitty held up a juice box and toasted. Everyone in the hot tub cheered, “The Screaming Gophers! Woohoo!”  
Leshawna was out of the tub doing a victory dance. “Go Gophers! Go Gophers! Go Gophers!” Owen and Noah joined in.  
“Go Gophers! Go, go, go Gophers!” The chant could be clearly heard by the losing team walking back to their cabin. Courtney walked by last and turned to the camera.  


********** **

“Are you recording this?” The camera zoomed in on her. “Good! They can enjoy their little party all they want. But I’m gonna _win_ this competition! And no one, is gonna stop me.” She pointed venomously at the camera which faded into black.


	2. The Big Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to make these campers do what every student had to do at least once. Stay awake for nearly four days straight. The only difference is, there's no coffee. Which camper will be left standing? Stay tuned!

**Chapter 2** – The Big Sleep

Despite the stale outdoors and snoring teens, the island almost seemed peaceful in the morning. Until Chris walked up with two items in hand. A loud speaker, and an airhorn. Put those together, and you've got-

_**BEEEEEEAAAA!**_

Lindsay was the first to jolt up from her sleep, and bang her hand on the bunk above her. 

"Ow!" Lindsay grabbed her head. "It's seven in the morning!" She ran up to the open window. 

"Do I look like a farmer to you?"

\---

In a flash, everybody was up and out in a line. Cody walked up behind Eva, who had an MP3 player on with earphones. Rock music could be heard. Cody spotted the MP3 player and slowly tried to touch it. Eva glanced at his wandering finger and with a snarl she bit the area where Cody retracted his hands. Her sharp teeth visible, she glared at Cody and growled like a rabid dog. 

"Morning!" Chris said cheekily. "Hope you slept well."

"Hi Chris." Heather waved. "You look really buff in those shorts." She pointed.

"I know." He winked at her kissing-up-to. "Okay, I hope you're all ready because your next challenge begins, *pulls out watch* in exactly one minute!"

"Oh! Excuse me." Owen said. "I don't know if that's enough time to eat breakfast." He shrugged, smiling.

"Oohh, you'll get breakfast Owen." Chris answered sinisterly. "Right after you complete your twenty-kilometer run around the lake!" Chris pointed that-a-way.

"Oh so you're funny now." Eva came up to Chris with a fist held up and ready. "You know what I think would be funny?" Trent and Duncan held her back as Courtney came up to her and whispered,

"Eva! Try to control you temper?" She warned. Her swollen eye has now recovered by now.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Eva spat to Chris.

"A little." Chris smiled. "You have thirty seconds." Chris reminded with his watch as Eva intensified her glare. 

_*static*_

**Courtney: Okay- that girl Eva, has got to get a handle on her temper. She's only been here one day and she's already thrown her suitcase out a window and broken the lock on one of the bathroom doors.** Courtney listed off with a scowl.

_*static*_

"Okay runners!" Chris called to the line of campers in position. "On your marks. Get set! GO!" The teens, most of them, sprinted off. After who knows how long, Harold asks at the back of the tired crowd. 

"Do you know how much longer?" Emma and Kitty ran by. Gwen was next to Harold. 

"Don't walk beside me." 

Noah jogged past Heather, bumped into her as she walked. 

"Do you mind?" She jibed.

_*static*_

**Heather: I don't run. And, I definitely don't run in high heel wedges.**

_*static*_

Heather kept walking, then she stopped when she found Owen down on his hands and knees in a shallow stream. He spoke in between laps of water.

"Can't.. catch.. breath! Must.. have.. condition!" He slumped down. Leshawna tiredly walked by the stream.

"Yeah! It's called overheating." Heather gibed. "Look into it." Leshawna leaned against a tree, sore.

"And what's your excuse?" She turned to Heather. "You skinny *pant* annoying *pant* ooh! *pant* I'm too tired for insults." 

Chris zoomed by shouting into his loudspeaker. "Pick it up people! If you're not back by dinner time- you don't eat!" 

"Ugh!" Heather seethed. "I hate him so much." In a grimace she stepped over Owen so to not wet her shoes, and continued walking off. 

Back in the main lodge, most of the Killer Bass were there already. All tired and resting, they waited as Chris filed his nails. Kicking the door open was Owen, carrying an unconscious Noah. 

"Clear a table, STAT!" He cried. Leshawna followed closely behind. She stopped at the entrance and fell. 

"*pant* We made it!" 

Back at the other table, Owen was chest pumping Noah, trying to revive him. A concerned Cameron and Emma looked over. Harold then entered the lodge, clutching his chest.

"What took you so long?" Courtney asked. "We just lost the challenge!" 

Harold wheezed. "I think I'm having heart palpitations." 

"Ey- wait a second!" Anne Maria stood up. "If they lost, then that means we won the challenge!" Owen paused in the CPR and Noah woke up from his slumber. The Screaming Gophers began to cheer.

"Whoa there, hold your horses guys!" Chris waved his hands. "That wasn't the challenge!"

"What did you just say?" Gwen asked.

"Who's..." He walked up to some purple curtains. It drew back. "... Hungry?!" Drawing back, it revealed a long table of a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, potatoes, gravy, and more. It shone and sparkled to the exhausted campers.

_*static*_

**Gwen: After a whole week of brown sludge, I almost cried when I saw that buffet.**

_*static*_

**Owen: And then I saw it!** Owen reminisced. **The buffet table! It was beautiful. There was turkey! And baked beans and maple syrup! Hah-!** Owen put up a hand to his temples. **Can I have a minute? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! He controlled his sobs.**

_*static*_

The table was now overridden with empty plates, dirty dishes, scooped out bowls and bones. Everybody groaned in pain while holding their now enlarged stomachs. Chris hopped on the table with his speaker.

"Okay campers! Time for part two of your challenge!"  
"I thought eating was the second part." Owen said through a muffled mouth.  
"What more do you want from us?" Gwen asked exasperated.  
"Ugh... weird goth girl is right." Heather said, Gwen crossing her arms at her. "Haven't we've been through enough?"  
"Um... let me think about that." Chris said, actually taking the liberty to pretend to think. "No!"  
"It's time for... the Awake-a-thon!"  
"The what-a-thon?" Owen asked.  
"Don't worry!" Chris hopped down. "This is an easy one. The team with the last camper standing wins invisibility."  
"So." Gwen started. "What you're saying, is the 20-K run and the turkey eating frenzy were part of your evil plan to make it harder for us to stay awake?" She squinted.

"That's right Gwen!"  
"Man, he's good." She scowled. Leshawna nodded.  
"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" The groups began to make their way out. Gwen stood against the wall, pouting. Trent walked up to her. 

"So. How long do you think it'll be before everyone's out cold?" He asked.  
"'Bout an hour, give or take." Owen walked by already sleepy with drool running down his gravy stained chin. Gwen sighed. 

"Maybe less."

\---

The hot sun swung through the sky, a timer on the screen showing that almost twelve hours has passed by. Against Gwen's theory, the teammates were still awake, though with dark circles under their eyes now.  
"We are now twelve hours in with all 26 campers still wide-awake!" Chris narrated. Owen was shimmying backwards to stay alive. "Woo-hoo! stay awake for twelve hours?" Owen had a crazed look to his face. "I can do that in my sleep! Woo-hoo!" He fist-pumped the air and stayed in that position for a questionable amount of time. He slammed over. 

_*static*_

**Gwen: The awake-a-thon was definitely the most brutal thing I've ever done in my life.** Gwen expressed, annoyed.

_*static*_

Gwen yawned. The Screaming Gopher now had one point reduced, leaving them 12 people. "This is the most boring thing I've ever done in my life."  
"*yawn* Could be way worse." Trent replied.

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I could be stuck here without you to talk to." Trent answered with a smile. Gwen looked away, smiling back. Near them, Heather didn't smile.

_*static*_

**Heather: So my strategy is to get two other campers to form an alliance with me and take to the final three. The only question is, who can I find that is either desperate or dumb enough to do whatever I say?**

_*static*_

Lindsay stood on her head, her two hand balancing her wobbly body up. "What are you doing?" 

"Trying to get the blood.. to rush to my head." Lindsay said. "I think its working!"

"Can I try?" Beth asked excited.

"Sure!" Lindsay replied. Heather smirked to herself. "Perfect." She called them over. 

"Lindsay? Beth? Can I talk to you for a sec?" The two girls were now both on their heads. 

"Sure!"

They came over and Heather laid out her idea. 

"Okay, I have a plan to get me, and two other people into the final three- and I chose you guys."

"Really?" Lindsay lit up. 

"You should know that this is a very big deal." Heather said. "I am placing my trust, in you. And trust is a two-way street." Lindsay and Beth both quickly nodded. 

"So you'll do everything I'll say then?" Heather grinned.

"Sure!" Lindsay exclaimed. She turned to Beth and squealed. "Eee! We're going to the final three!" They both jumped. "EEEEE!" Lindsay's squeal shot right through Heather's eardrums, she cringed. 

_*static*_

**Beth: Oh. My. God. Heather is taking to the final three! I'm going to the final three- I'm going to the final three!** Beth paused. **I wonder what will happen then?**

_*static*_

"Speaking of alliances, d'you know who i think is really cute?" Lindsay asked Beth. She looked at Tyler who was leaning back against a tree stump. Heather jumped in.

"Oh no. No, no, no. You can't date him." Heather shook her finger.  
"Why not?"  
"Ugh- because he's on the other team!" Heather pointed. 

"Uh-huh?" Lindsay didn't follow.

"You can't, inter-team date. It's like- against the alliance rules." 

"There are rules?" Lindsay asked.

Heather leaned in, causing both Lindsay and Beth to lean back. "Remember what I just said about trust Lindsay? Of course, you can always leave the alliance." Heather shrugged. "If you do though, I can't protect you from getting kicked off." 

"N-no! I wanna be in the alliance!" Lindsay said.

"Good." Heather simpered. "Then it's settled." She walked away. Lindsay looked disappointed, and Beth sympathized while walked away too. Tyler turned and waved to Lindsay, and Lindsay lit up.

_*static*_

**Lindsay: Heather said I couldn't date him. She never said I couldn't like him.**

_*static*_

Eva listened to her rock music, almost ready to topple over. She put her earphones in her pocket. "I'm going to the bathroom." She let her team know, and began to walk. Heather gave a lazy glance to Eva walking away. Then, she noticed Eva's MP3 player and earphones fell out of her pocket and onto the ground. Heather stood up, an idea brewing, and casually walked over. 

In front of Chris, she stretched back and forth, reaching the ground next to her as she discreetly picked up the player and earphones. She held it as she sat back down with Lindsay and Beth. 

"Uh- isn't that Eva's MP3 player?" Lindsay asked.

"Yep."

"Well, isn't she gonna get like, really mad when she realizes it's gone?"

"That's exactly what I'm counting on." Heather smirked.

Not too far off was Mike chatting with Zoey. Cameron joined them a few hours ago, and ever since he did so, Mike just took the time to admire Zoey. Mike was leaning over with his chin on his hands and Zoey smiling sweetly at him. 

".. and then I *yawn* poured in the homogeneous solution into the beaker. It was amazing! The liquid turned purple, then exploded in my face! And then-" 

"Yeah, amazing." Mike sighed, oblivious. Zoey giggled. 

"How're you holding up?" Zoey asked.

"Great! Thanks to you." Mike grinned. Then he turned to Cameron. "How about you Ca-? Cam?" Cameron was fast asleep on the log next to him. 

"Oh no! Cam's out." Zoey sighed. "Guess the only thing keeping him awake was explaining that experiment huh?" Mike moved up a little.

"Experiment?" He shook his head. "Uh, what experiment?"

\---

_Nearly 24 hours_ have passed. Kitty was found curled up next the fire, much to Emma's disappointment. Even Noah was out too, head on hand. The Screaming Gophers now had eight campers left standing. 

_*static*_

**Kitty: Okay, so I came here to help Emma and everything, have fun on an island resort and meet hot guys- but this is so not what I had in mind!** She sighs. **But... our family never quits. I can already hear what Emma would say.**

_*static*_

**Emma: I really thought Kitty would've been able to last longer than that. We're here to win!** She folded her arms. **Never give up. Never surrender. Never say never.** She blinks. **Wait a minute.**

_*static*_

On the other side of the campfire were the Killer Bass. Izzy sprawled in a corner, fast asleep. Cody napped in his chair and Scott lay comfortably on some rocks. Courtney was still up, moving her legs back and forth. Tyler's eyelids drooped, vision set on a snoozing Eva. Suddenly, a bear bristled out of the bushes behind her and with one fell swoop, swiped Eva out of her seat with its long claws.

"WAUUGGHHH!" Tyler screamed, totally out of it. He woke Eva up, who glared at him steadily. Tyler stopped and slumped back down on his seat. The Killer Bass had eight left too.

"Congratulations campers!" Chris spoke up. "You've made it to the 24 hours mark! Time to take things up a notch." Chef walked in wearing a fluffy pink sheep suit and a harp in one hand. Next to Chris was something draped in a sheet of cloth. He pulled it off, showing a stack of books.

"Fairy-tales!" 

Gwen groaned. "Oh, he is _not_ serious." Chris held up one thick book and cleared his voice.

"Ahem." Chef strung one note on the harp. He heard a stifled snicker off to the side and he loured at them.

"Once. Upon a time. *Chef stoked the harp* There was. *another snicker, and another glare from Chef* Inside this boring kingdom. *Beth yawned* A boring village. *Lindsay's drooped and jerked wide* And inside this boring, sleepy, village. *Ezekiel nodded up and down sleepily, his eyes falling* Filled with very boring children, who did very boring things." 

Against a starry, pink tinted night sky was the forest. The golden harp stood tall in the center, and a prancing baby sheep trotted up and leaped over the harp with a baa. And then another sheep. And then a prancing Chef in his costume. *faaaarrrtt* He was wide awake now. Ezekiel had been using Owen's butt as a pillow, and woke up to a cloud of gas. He coughed several times. Heather, Lindsay, and Beth still were awake, but recoiled when they looked up and saw Chef in a ballet outfit, leaping in the view of the full moon. Harp strings plucked to a symphony. Chef sprinkled sparkles behind. 

Duncan, Gwen, and Trent stood aghast, until Chef scattered sprinkles onto them. They all yawned. More glitter was sprayed onto Anne Maria, Mike, and Zoey from the other team; they all yawned too. D.J. tied himself to a tall tree with some rope, confident it will keep him up and awake. But as soon as some of the sequins hit D.J., he yawned once and leaned over, snoring. The tree cracked and fell over, landing on the still asleep D.J. A squirrel scampered up on the trunk. Now the Killer Bass had seven left. Gwen called tiredly, "Timber." 

\---

_Forty hours into the challenge._ Justin was standing upright like the model he is, and Courtney kept on moving in a one-place jog. 

_*static*_

**Courtney: I figured that if I kept moving, I could outlast all of them. I just had to keep my eye on the ball.**

_*static*_

She panted and Justin had his eyes wide open. More and more succumbed to sleep. The Killer Bass had five left. But the Screaming Gophers still had seven. Heather nudged Lindsay.

"We should talk about our strategy." Lindsay opened her eyes.

"Huuh?" She groaned and fell back, her feet swinging in the air.

"Beth?" Heather asked. Her feet was up too. Now there were five left. 

\---

"Okay, favorite song." Gwen asked Trent, in the middle of their question game.

Trent thought for some time. "She would be loved." He answered. "Favorite color?"

"Um... midnight blue." Gwen said. 

"Ooh, mysterious." Trent grinned. "I like that." Gwen smiled, and yawned. Trent kneeled over and put a hand on her back.

"Aw, don't fall asleep. Okay- quick. Favorite movie moment."

"You're gonna think it's cheesy."

"I promise I won't."

"Okay. The kiss at the end of that road trip movie.. You know the one with the guy and three girls?"

"I know the one! Hahaha, you like that movie?" They smirked. Owen walked past them, arms up like a mummy, and once more- stark naked. Gwen and Trent froze and looked over to where Owen was sleeping. His clothes were scattered on the ground, even his socks and shoes. 

_*static*_

**Owen: Did I mention that I ate the entire dish of baked beans and maple syrup? Funny thing about bakes beans... they make me sleep walk.**

_*static*_

The dark blue sky was speckled with different blotches of white. A shooting start passed by, as seen by Trent and Gwen, but they were too tired to make anything of it. They lay head to head, sprawled out. Trent yawned.

"You still awake?"

"Yeah. It's weird, but I think I'm so tired, I'm not tired anymore. Does that make sense?"

"I really have no idea... where's the Little Dipper again?"

"See the Big Dipper?" Gwen pointed up to the constellation. "Follow the handle to that bright star. The pole star... and it's right there."

"Aah, cool." Trent breathed. 

\---

On the very cliff from last challenge, Owen walked straight up to the very edge. One more step and he would've fell. He halted in his left foot, and abruptly turned around. After two seconds of standing there, he fell backwards. A distant splash was heard.

\---

_By 51 hours_ , Justin was still up and posing. Eva snored, but woke up to Gwen saying, 

"Look at him. He's like a statue!" Justin's eyes were still wide open, and he kept his grin. "He hasn't moved in like over.. 50 hours!" Gwen and Trent stood by him wearily. 

"Hello?" Gwen tried. "Hello!"

"Yip. Yip!" Trent waved his arms. "Yipyipyipyipyip!" Justin didn't respond. Gwen walked closer to him. 

"Amazing. Look at the concentration." Trent scratched his head and Gwen poked him once. Justin then shook his head, and opened his open eyes. Gwen and Trent both gasped. Eva pointed angrily.

"His eyelids are painted, I saw it!"

Chris stirred. "Shut up. Oh I've got to see this." He ran over to Justin. Justin blinked once, revealing the two dots he painted, and he shamefacedly grinned. 

"That is so freaking cool! But, you're still out dude." The Killer Bass was down to four. Justin slumped.

\---

Going upstream were a group of trouts, big with a salmon underside. Splashing with them was Owen, arms pinned to the side like fins. They were diving out and in, out and in, up and up the waterfall. As Owen disappeared into the forest once more, the day began to speed by. The moon went down and the sun rose. The sun went down and the moon rose. Repeat one last time with the morning sun rising, and you've got 85 hours into the challenge. 

Harold slept in a stiff line, and Duncan smirked maliciously as he pushed in a cup of water. He grabbed Harold's wrist and lifted his hand into the cup. Harold sighed and Duncan's grin grew wider.

"Ahaha, gross it works! Dude peed his pants!" Harold slowly raised his head awake and gasped at his now dampened crotch. He quickly curled up and hid it.

Courtney couldn't scold him, because she was asleep. Killer Bass now had three.

Zoey stirred, waking up comfortably. Then she realized she was snuggled up against Mike, her head on his chest. She tried to cautiously slide out, but in doing so woke him up. Mike, startled, breaks out of their entangled hug and nervously puts his hands up.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry Zoey!"

"No, no- I was the one who used your chest for a pillow!" Zoey replied. "I won't do it again! U-unless you uh... don't mind?" Mike scratched his head and they both sheepishly smiled. 

The Screaming Gophers now just had two left, Heather and (miraculously) Anne Maria. Anne Maria kept spraying her hair, the aroma keeping her awake. Heather waved the air. Emma, who stood by this, got up and left with a mutter.

_*static*_

**Emma: I was going to win this thing. As somebody going into international law school, you've got to get used to the sleepless nights. And nights, as in plural.**

_*static*_

"Um, can you not? You've been spraying that for days now. I'm pretty sure you just killed all the birds." Heather crossed her arms. Proving her point, a pigeon fell from a tree and splattered onto the ground. Anne Maria waved her off with a yawn.

"*yawn*, Oh please. you wish you could have aalll of this!" Anne Maria stopped spraying momentarily to show off her body. 

"Barf." Heather gagged. Anne Maria ignored her and continued spraying. Heather twitched, annoyed by the fumes and constant sound of hissing spray- until finally she grabbed can from her "Hey!" and threw it into the fire pit. It exploded loudly, a huge burst of flames ignited, dying down after a few seconds. The surrounding team members jerked awake with a yell. Anna Maria gasped.

"Ooh- that's it! You're gonna get it you- *yawn*... little *yawn*." Anne Maria turned. "Oh forget this. I'm taking a nap."

"Don't you dare, the Killer Bass are going to win then!"

"Yeah, because I'm gonna listen to the one who threw my can into a fire." They squinted at each other for a bit before Anne Maria flipped her metallic hair and laid down to sleep. The Screaming Gophers now have two left.

_*static*_

**Anne Maria: Sure I want the money. But not at the expense of my looks! I mean check me out, perfect hair, perfect tan, all this is worth a billion. Easy.**

_*static*_

**Heather: She actually thinks she's hot? Ha! Don't make me laugh. She looks like somebody just poured orange dye all over her. Besides. I doubt that Emma will last much longer, so she practically handed me immunity, and with my alliance now in action, I could squish her like _that_. ** She flicked a buzzing fly, flattening it into the outhouse walls.

_*static*_

Gwen yawned. "I'd. Kill, for a coffee right now."

"What is the matter with you people?" Chris walked up, holding a coffee cup in his hand. He took a sip. "Come on, fall asleep already!" Gwen grabbed Chris's leg, shaking it.

"Gotta hook me up man." She reached for the cup. "I'll even eat the grinds. Anything!" "Alright, you five stay with me." Heather, Emma, Trent, Gwen, and Duncan walked up. Kitty stretched and cheered.

"Yeah, you go Emma!" She typed something on her phone. Noah woke up from her voice. 

"Ugh.." 

"Oh! Sorry for waking you up Noah."

"Uh-huh. Yeah, do me a favor and wake me up the same way in ten years." Noah closed his eyes again as Kitty blinked.

_*static*_

**Kitty: Noah is so snarky. Kind of reminds me of someone.**

_*static*_

"The rest of you go and get a shower for Heaven's sake! You stink!" Harold covered his privates and ran off. Chris took another sip. "I didn't want it to come to this. I said that to Chef Hatchet last time- I said, Chef. I don't want it to come to this. But darn it! These campers are tough! And so... I've come up with the most boring, sleep-inducing activity I could find."

_*static*_

**Gwen: Oh come on, what now? Okay- you know what?** She faced the camera. **Bring it on.**

_*static*_

Chris held up a thick red book, and spoke monotonously. "The history of Canada." He flipped it open, and a pop-up of a beaver came up. "A pop-up book, chapter one... The beaver. National symbol, and a 'dam' fine hat."

The five all groaned at the horrible pun. 

Not too far away on the island, were actual beavers patting on their dam with their tails. One of the beavers patted on something a little more soft. Owen. 

Covered in mud and a beaver, Owen was still asleep. And still naked.

\---

"..Which of course was the pre-cursor for the discussions leading to the war of 1812..." Heather dropped dead. Trent, looking completely dead inside, began to lean forward from his stump. Gwen whipped her head back.

"Trent! Noo!" Gwen cried in slow motion as Trent finally tumbled to the ground. "Don't leave me." Gwen sighed.

Killer Bass had two. Screaming Gophers had one.

"Time for a bathroom break. Any takers?" Chris asked.

Duncan winced, holding it in. "I've held it this long sweetheart, I could go all day."

"Yeah, but can you hold it for another ten chapter?" Gwen asked with a grin. Duncan got up and made his way to the stalls.

"You've got five minutes! Long as you don't mind a little company!" Duncan turned to the cameraman. 

"Fine. But stay outta the stall." The camera nodded.

Gwen and Emma both groaned. 

\---

"Duncan? You in there man?" The camera guy asked. The stall door opened, and Duncan was fast asleep with his pants down on the toilet, snoring. Back at the campfire, Chris awaited on his barrel. A hand off camera handed a piece of paper to Chris to read. "And we have news! It looks like Duncan has taken a dive on the can. Which means the Screaming Gophers and the Killer Bass are tied with one. Person. Left!" Chris said.

Emma was slouched over, starting to doze off. Kitty saw this and ran up with a shout.

"No, you can do this Emma! Come on!" Emma didn't say anything. Kitty tapped her chin. "Umm- oh! Hey Emma, selfie!" Katie turned on flash and took a picture with her tired sister. The flash managed to shake Emma up. 

"Ah- hey!" Emma grumbled. Kitty shrugged. 

"It woke you up, didn't it?"

Gwen collapsed onto the ground, at long last tuckered out.

"And the official winner of the Awake-a-thon is--!" Chris held up his hand. 

"Emma!" Emma too, slumped down to the ground. Chris held up her unconscious wrist.

"The Screaming Gophers win!" 

"Yippee." She said in a muffled voice. Kitty jumped up and down.

"WOO! Yeah- go Emma! Haha!" Kitty froze in that pose, and twirled over to the ground.

"RAAUUUUURRRGHHH!" Eva let a scream rip the cabin grounds, with her teammates cowering outside. There was a large pile of objects on the ground, and it kept on growing as Eva threw in more and more junk out.

"WHERE. IS MY MP3 PLAYER?!" Eva held her shaking fist "One of you must have stolen it- I NEED my MUSIC." She snarled. "No one is going anywhere until I get my MP3 player back!" She went back inside.

"Okay." Courtney said. "Whoever took it better give it up now, before she destroys the whole camp!" Heather came up, happy about the sights of her evil work.

"Hey guys. Wow, this place is a real mess." They all were still dark-circled and tired from the very recent challenge.

"Someone stole Eva's MP3 player." Courtney explained. Heather grabbed the player out of her pockets and asked innocently,

"You don't mean this do you?" Eva looked out the door and smiled in relief. "I was wondering who it belonged to.." Eva ran up to her. "I found it by the campfire pit. You must have dropped it." Heather held out the contraption, smiling. Eva snatched it, holding it up.

"Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you!" Eva held her beloved gadget close. Heather shrugged.

"Sure thing." She walked off.

_*static*_

**Heather: Turn a team against their own members, easiest trick in the book.**

_*static*_

Eva smiled gratefully and looked to the team. "So! Sorry about that little.. misunderstanding." Eva said. "Guess no one stole it after all." The campers did not look happy.

She sighed. "Okay, maybe I overreacted a little. Hahaha.." She laughed uneasily.

It was night, the elimination ceremony burning brightly. Chris walked up to the fatigued Killer Bass with a plateful of marshmallows.

"You've all cast your votes and made your decision. There are only eleven marshmallows on this plate. When I call your name, come up and claim your marshmallow. The camper who does not receive a marshmallow must immediately return to the Dock of Shame, catch the Boat of Losers, and leave. And you can never come back. Ever!"

Chris smiled. "The first marshmallow goes to Duncan." Duncan went and grabbed one up.

"Izzy."

"Cody."

"Courtney."

"D.J."

"Scott."

"Gwen."

"Trent."

"Tyler."

"Justin."

Chris waited for all of them to get a marshmallow and sit down.

"Campers. This is the last marshmallow of the evening." Eva and Harold both looked at the plate anxiously. After a very long and dramatic wait, Chris finally raised his hand and said,

"Harold!" He gave a relieved smile and went to nab his marshmallow. Eva gawked.

"Eva. The Dock of Shame awaits." Eva stood up and turned to the team.

"Nice." She propped her hands on hip, glaring. "Really nice. Who needs this stupid T.V. show anyway!" She turned angrily. With a glower, Eva kicked Chris on the leg and stormed off.

"Ow!" Chris held his right leg. "Have a good nice sleep tonight." He called, and turned to the rest. "You're all safe."

_*static*_

**Courtney: I told you. You can't act like a total raging psychopath and then expect people to just forgive you. No matter how tough and strong and fast you are, she's never gonna have a career if she doesn't get her act together.**

_*static*_

**Heather: So Eva was one of their strongest players. And now she's gone.** Heather smirked. **I am so running this game.**

_*static*_

"Buh-bye Eva!" Courtney waved. Eva, still not done, turned and held her sharp stick back. She aimed and threw it at Courtney. 

Courtney ducked, and the stick planted itself on one of the staffs holding the lights up.

"Touchy!" Courtney recoiled.

In a flash, Eva was on the Boat of Losers, and the old boat zoomed off quickly. She sat with her ponytail waving rapidly. "I guess my temper got the better of me. Again. But whatever, they just lost their fiercest competitor I hope they realize that." Eva stared at the camera.

"To the Killer Bass!" Courtney toasted with her marshmallow over the bonfire. Everybody raised their stick. "And to not ending up here again next week." She added.

"*snore*" Being prodded by a stick-holding yeti was Owen, curled up and snoring in a cave. Naturally, he farted. The yetis sniffed the air, and sent Owen soaring out with a kick. Though upside down now with his chin implanted in the dirt, he continued sleeping and farted again.

Ah, Owen.


	3. Dodgebrawl

**Chapter 3** \- Dodgebrawl

Back in the main lodge, the teams ate at their designated table in the morning, one table having a lot more fun than the other. The Screaming Gophers laughed and talked with each other, whilst the Killer Bass did more sleeping than socializing. Duncan had his head on the table. 

"Duncan!" Chris leered as he came up to their table. Duncan gave him an annoyed glance. "You look like crap dude." He pointed with a grin. 

"Stuff it." Duncan put his head back down.

Courtney looked up. "Harold snored all night."

Chris scratched his head and laughed. "Wow, four nights with no sleep? How far are you willing to go?"

Duncan whipped his head to him and snapped, "Wanna find out?" Chris put his hands up.

"No, no it's cool." Most of the team members have gotten under the table. "It's cool." The door opened, and everybody gasped. It was Harold, who had a scribble of markers under his nose. He beat his head up and down to the attention and began to walk down the smiling groups of teens in a strut. 

They were smiling for another reason. Everyone snickered as Harold sat down. Then, his whole team burst into laughter. 

"Okay- what?!" Harold asked.

Scott sniggered. "Someone messed with your face idiot." Harold held up his spoon and the laughter continued. 

"Hey, sweet 'stache." Harold smiled at the reflection. 

"Hey everyone!" Chris called out. "It's Emma!" The Screaming Gophers began to cheer for their victorious winner of the last challenge. Emma walked through the door, slumped over in fatigue.

"Woo-hoo! Yaaay, why are we clapping?" Lindsay asked. Courtney, from the other table, seethed. She sat down, still with her dark circles.

"I'm so tired- I can't feel my face." Emma's face fell onto the table. Kitty consoled her. 

_*static*_

**Courtney: We are so stinking right now! Okay- yes, Eva was a psycho, but at least she was an athletic psycho!**

_*static*_

Heather turned to her new alliance members with a finger up. "So, let's go over the rules one more time. Number one: I am the captain of this alliance, so I get to make the rules. Number two...?" Heather gestured to them.

"Breaking the rules can result in getting kicked out of the alliance?" Lindsay thought. 

"Good! Number three: I can borrow any of your stuff without asking, but my stuff is strictly off-limits." Heather and Beth exchanged glances. 

"I dunno about that last rule." Lindsay stated.

"That's cool. I can change it." Heather shrugged and the two smiled. "I can _also_ find someone else to take to the final three with me." The two shook their heads. "Good. Wanna have some fun?" They smiled and nodded.

Heather stood up and called to the other table. "Hey fish-heads! Way to kick out your strongest player. Why don't you just give up now?" A speeding blob of gruel shot toward Heather, but she moved to the side and let it hit Emma in the face instead. 

"Missed me!"

Courtney held up the spoon, and crossed her arms, pissed at Heather. 

"Okay campers listen up!" Chris clapped his hands. "Your next challenge begins in ten minutes! And be prepared to bring it!" 

\---

Soon enough, there was a court set up on the beach surrounded by glass walls. Inside were two sides divided and bordered with red tape. One side has the Screaming Gopher's logo and the other had the Killer Bass. And on each side were some bleachers. In the middle was a tall watch guard for Chef to sit on. 

Duncan opened the door and slammed onto the bleachers. Everyone looked to him. 

"Wake me up, and it'll be the last thing you do." He threatened before passing out. Tyler gulped as Courtney simultaneously rolled her eyes.

"This is all your fault you know?" Courtney shamed the mouth-gaping Harold. "You and your snoring-- face!" 

"It's called a medical condition- GOSH!" Harold shouted back. Chef blew into a whistle, wearing a black-and-white striped referee shirt. He walked over to Chris, who was standing next to a pile of red balls.

"Today's challenge, is the classic game of dodgeball." He held up one. Cameron gasped.

_*static*_

**Cameron: Dodgeball? Dodgeball?!** He hyperventilated.

_*static*_

"The first rule of dodgeball is--"

"Do not talk about dodgeball?" Noah deadpanned, earning a stifled chortle from Owen. 

"As I was saying, if you get hit with the ball." He threw it, landing a gut punch into Courtney.

"Oof!" She threw it back with a scowl.

"You're out."

"You can't do that!"

"If you catch the ball." Chris caught it back. "The thrower gets sent out, and the catcher gets to bring in another team member out on the court." Noah sighed.

"Throwing balls, gee- another mentally challenging test." Lindsay leaned in. 

"I know right?" Noah had no words.

"Okay now Trent! Try to hit me!" Chris threw the ball to Trent and he caught it. Chris was handed another one.

"If you're holding a ball, you can use it to deflect the ball. But! If it knocks the ball out *drops it* of your hands, you're out!" 

"So- what do I do again when the ball comes at me?" Lindsay asked. Trent reached back and threw the ball at Chris, who deflected it with his ball.

"You _dodge!"_ Chris said as the rickashaying ball hit Lindsay and knocked her off her feet. 

"Ooh!" Chris cringed. "You were supposed to dodge!" Lindsay moaned.

"Oww, right." She withheld her hand covering her forehead and showed a purple, bruised lump on her head. 

"You have one minute until game time! Gophers, you'll have to sit one person out each game."

\---

"Okay." Heather said. "We can't get lazy. The Killer Bass are gonna be trying extra hard to catch up." Emma yawned repeatedly. Heather pointed at her. "Who wants to sit the first one out with sleeping beauty here?" 

Noah pretended to give it a serious thought and smiled. "Alright, I'll volunteer." Noah walked over to the bleachers.

Cameron reached out, "W-wait!" Mike patted him on the back.

"Don't worry Cam, I won't pick you if I get hit. Cameron just shook in his seat, not calming down yet.

"Now let's see all you keeners get out there and dodge." He encouraged with a lazy finger point.

Chef looked to the teams, all lines up. On the Killer Bass, there was Courtney, D.J., Tyler, Harold, and Trent. Gwen slept on the bleachers much like Duncan.

On the Screaming Gophers, there was Owen, Heather, Lindsay, Leshawna, and Mike. 

"Bring it on, fishies." Heather curled her finger. "Otherwise, winning three in a row just won't be as satisfying." 

Tyler scoffed. "Oh- you're going down! We're gonna bring the dinner to the table, and then we're gonna eat it!" Courtney slapped herself. 

"Both teams ready!" Chris said. "Best of five games win!" He raised a finger. "Now! Let's dodge some balls!" Chef blew into his whistle. The game has begun.

Members from each bleacher both cheered as everyone picked up their balls, getting their game on. Mike threw the first ball at Tyler. He dodged it with shock, and glared at him. Mike sheepishly smiled. 

Winding back, Tyler suddenly spun around into a tornado and swiped the ball across the court... and hit Cody on his own team. 

"That'll smear the make-up." Chris chided. Cody gave a muffled "Hey!".

"Nice job." Courtney fumed. "Now let's see if you can hit someone on _their team!"_ Courtney roughly shoved the ball into Tyler's hands.

Owen ran with a ball up in his hand, each step making the court shake a little. Tyler gawked at the massive bull stampeding towards him, and froze. Soon as Owen hit Tyler with the ball, Tyler slammed flat onto the walls. 

"Ow!" He held his stomach. "Darn it!" Chef whistled Tyler out. The Screaming Gophers cheered as Owen high-fived Mike. Tyler dragged himself to the bleachers, as a smiling Cody still rubbed his cheek. The whistle rang again.

"Time to unleash my wicked skill." Harold held the ball at front. Leshawna flouted. 

"Yeah? Then bring it string-bean, let's see what you got!" She stepped forward. Harold got into a ninja pose and balanced the ball on his knee. With a yell he jumped up and dunked the ball to the ground in front of him with all his strength. 

The ball went up high, but didn't cover much distance, and it bounced toward Leshawna's feet. She picked it up and smirked at Harold. He screeched in a shrill voice and ran away. The ball got him in the back of the head and he swept the floor before crunching into the wall. Chris cringed and Chef whistled him out. 

"And that's how we roll!" Leshawna whooped and high-fived Owen. Trent held up the ball and aimed. Lindsay walked in holding a ball.

"Can someone remind me what I'm supposed to do with this again?" Trent ball hit and knocked Lindsay off her feet again, and he high-fived Courtney. Scott grimaced in the back.

_*static*_

**Scott: Ugh- come on. How are we supposed to lose when everyone is so damn determined to win?!** He crosses his arms. **Well, at least Tyler and Harold both suck.**

_*static*_

Chef whistled and pointed Lindsay out, who now had two lumps. As the other team cheered for their first out, Tyler waved at Lindsay with a grin. Lindsay wiggled her fingers back. Heather saw this, and grabbed a ball angrily. Drawing it back, she flung it and hit Tyler straight in his kiwis. Tyler bit his lip.

"Mom-mee?" He squeezed out in a helium voice. 

"What the heck was that?" Courtney yelled. "Ref! He's not even on the court!"

Chef looked at Heather who just shrugged. "Oopsies, slipped!" Courtney grouched and got a ball of her own, throwing it at Heather. Heather covered her face, but Owen caught it with his hand before it could hit her. Chef whistled Courtney out. She sighed and walked out. Chef then pointed to Emma to get out there. Emma slowly got up and scratched her back. Noah looked up from his book, faintly concerned. 

Owen threw a ball at Trent, who dodged. Trent then threw it to Emma who, though exhausted, twirled around and bounced off of Owen. She spun in the air like an acrobat, and Noah widened his eyes. She grabbed the ball mid-flight, and threw it at Trent. He ducked.

"Whoa..." Noah smiled in respect. Emma got on her feet, ready. Then she stifled a yawn. Trent saw this chance and threw it at her. She opened her eyes and gasped, covering her face. "Wah!" A blurred object flew and intercepted the ball's course, knocking it out and away from Emma. She looked up.

"Huh?" It was a book. She looked to Noah who had thrown his book to stop the ball, his hand was still thrown out. He shrugged and they both smiled. Trent threw another one at Owen. Owen ducked and hit the smiling Emma on the side of her head.

"Oof!" She fell. Noah cringed.

"Sorry about that." Trent apologized. Emma waved her hand. 

"It's okay. Trust me." Chef whistled her out too. She got up and sat down next to Noah, who now had nothing to read. 

"If I had more books, I would've stopped that too." Noah smirked. Emma looked away. 

"Yeah well, you didn't did you?" She scoffed, prompting Noah to gaze at her. The camera then panned to Kitty, who was standing behind squealing. Noah looked at her and huffed. 

"What." She kept staring. "What?!"

_*static*_

**Kitty: Okay, when love is in the air- I know it. I have a super sensitive love detector. And the alarms have been going off a lot lately.** She took out her phone. **There are so many ships on this island already! My friends text that this show is getting really big, so I took the liberty to post some ship names.** She typed something. **Let's see... Emmoah? Nemma? Hmm...**

_*static*_

Now there was only two people left on each side. Mike and Leshawna on the Screaming Gophers. D.J. and Trent on the Killer Bass. The whistle rang and both D.J. and Trent threw their ball to Leshawna. Leshawna deflected the first, but the second hit her in the stomach. Chef called her out. Now only Mike was left standing with D.J. and Trent ready. Heather yelled out to Mike,

"Hey! Why don't you do your weird Svetlana thing? Come on!" Heather yelled. Zoey added,

"Only if you're up to it!" Zoey smiled. Mike grinned back, but Heather shouted more. 

"Do it- now!" Mike gulped and put his hand to head. 

"I-I, oh I can't! My personality-" Cameron looked up, concerned. "I-I mean impressions are uh, hard to- um-"

"And first up on the vault." Cameron called out. "Five-time Russian champ!" Mike gasped, then spoke out, 

"Ez Svetlana!" He posed and held two balls in one hand. D.J. and Trent looked at each other once, before aiming and firing their balls. Svetlana bounced once before leaping high into the chair. He flipped multiple times in the air before throwing the two balls directly at the ones coming at him. The balls bounced back at D.J. and Trent, who then got knocked out of the court. Chef whistled. Mike did one final somersault before landing on his toes.

"And zat is how Svetlana plays!" He laughed as the team cheered. Mike gasps again. 

"Hahahaha- aha, what am I laughing at? Hahaha." Mike went back to himself and walked back to bleachers, receiving a high-five from everyone without knowing why. 

Back at the circle in the Killer Bass, Harold motivated, "We can do this, we just have to believe in ourselves." Courtney walked up. 

"Oh, I believe. I believe you SUCK!" 

"Yeah!" Tyler said. "You throw like a girl." Scott laughed. 

"You should talk!" Courtney then snapped towards Tyler. 

"It was a warm-up throw!" Tyler defended. "Look, I can dominate this game. Just give all the balls to me." The whistle rang before Courtney could protest.

"Fine! Just try to aim for the other side, okay?" Meanwhile, Heather talked to the Gophers.

"Alright Noah, you're up!" Heather said. Noah looked to Emma, who was fast asleep on the seats. 

"You know, you guys did such an awesome job on the last game that I don't wanna mess up your mojo." Heather raised an eyebrow. 

"Fine. Zoey, Cameron, go." She pushed Cameron to the court where Owen, Kitty, and Lindsay waited.

"Wait what? Why me?!" 

"You guys haven't gone yet. Plus, you'll be willing, unlike somebody here." She scowled at Noah, who was too distracted gazing at Emma. "Besides, you're so skinny the balls will probably just go through you."

Cameron looked at the other court where Trent, Cody, Scott, Justin and Tyler stood. He gulped and walked up. Before Zoey got off, Mike reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Be careful." Mike said. "They might have some new plan right now." He looked to Tyler who was holding all the balls, albeit confusedly. 

"And you!" Zoey grinned. "Uhh, don't let Svetlana pull a hamstring! Heheh. *beat* I'm gonna go over there." She smiled before walked over to the court. 

_*static*_

**Zoey: The guys back home are gorgeous. But they're all hoggy thugs and juvie rejects with a collective IQ of ten. Mike is hot, _and_ smart. ** Zoey dreamily looked up and sighs. **I was really starting to think hot smart guys were imaginary, like unicorns and perfect hair!**

_*static*_

Tyler, holding all the balls confidently, began to twirl around like he did last time and swing out the balls. One shot into Chef's stomach. One whizzed by Chris's head. 

"Hey! Watch the face dude!"

Another went to the Screaming Gopher's bleachers, where everybody ducked out of the way. And the final one went and hit Lindsay on the face. Again.

She tumbled down backwards and Tyler gasped. 

"Noooo!" Tyler ran over. Courtney threw her hands up. 

"Finally!" 

"Ohh, um... Tyler?" Lindsay asked as she gained her vision. "Oh my gosh, my face." Tyler helped her up and she removed the hand. 

"How's my face?" Tyler jumped at the terrible array of lumps and bruises.

"It's really.. not that bad. You still look great!" Zoey and Cameron exchanged glances. Zoey walked over.

"Really?" Lindsay smiled.

"Yeah! Really." They held hands earnestly for a moment. Zoey tossed the ball two feet in front of her and touched Tyler. Chef whistled and Courtney gawked, hopelessly slapping her forehead. 

"You wanna go for a walk?" Tyler asked. Lindsay closed her eyes. I have to say no, I have to say no...

"O-Okay!" Heather stared bewildered as they both walked out of the door. 

"Hey!" Heather yelled. "Hey- get back here! You are so close to being out of the alliance!"

Cody grabbed a ball and spun it in the air once. He aimed with his thumb and threw it. The ball was dodged by Kitty. But the ball swerved behind her and curved right back, hitting Kitty on the butt. She sprang up, holding it. 

"That is one tough ball to dodge!" Chris told the camera.

Cody dodged a ball thrown by Owen, and held up another one with a smirk. He rubbed it on his alligator polo shirt until it cackled with electricity and aimed the same way with his thumb, throwing it to Cameron. 

Cameron jumped, running away from the ball. Even though he turned back and forth, the ball kept following him, static.

"I want my bubble, I want my bubble!" He cried, until finally he hit the wall, the ball following and hitting him on the back with a pop.

"Ow! My thoracic spine!"

The Killer Bass cheered for Cody, and he proudly shrugged.

"Great Gatsby that is it!" Owen held his fists up. "GAME OONNN!" He grabbed a ball out of Zoey's hands and threw it, hitting both Scott and Justin out in one go. She quickly tossed him another one, and he hit an unsuspecting Cody out. The Killer Bass gasped. And finally, he swung his final ball with a long "YEEAAHH!" much to Trent's dismay. The ball hurdled and hit Trent right on the cheek, and he flopped out. 

"Ooww," Chris cringed and smiled. "That one's worth an instant reply." The camera went back to Trent about to get hit. 

"Forward." The footage reeled as Trent got hit again. "Okay rewind- forward, rewind, forward, rewind *chuckle* and pause! Oho, that's gonna leave a mark. Haha!" The camera shot back to Leshawna.

"Ohh! He dropped it like it was hot!" Chef whistled the entire Bass team out, and the Gophers crowded Owen with cheers. Trent walked back, holding his face. Gwen put her hands up.

"Whoa, you okay?" Trent nodded.

"Yep, thanks for asking."

"Of course." Gwen then stammered and looked away. "I-I mean, whatever."

"Hahhah," Owen chortled as everyone clapped. "I dunno what got into me." 

Heather put her hands on hip at the love-struck Noah. "I'm glad someone, is trying today." Noah shook his head. "Huh- what?" Then Cameron crawled up to the bleachers and grabbed Noah's knee. 

"Please!" Cameron stared with puppy eyes. "Take my place!" He wailed. Noah sighed, saw Kitty nodding and nudging him too. He groaned, getting up. 

"Fine, but remember, sports aren't my forte." Heather rolled her eyes, and then called out to the other side of the court.

"Hey! It's 2-0. How does it feel to suck so much?" The team glared at her. Harold looked down.

"Not very good." He said. 

"It's not over yet!" Courtney pointed out with a fake smile and Heather cocked an eyebrow. Courtney sighed. "It's so over."

\---

The Killer Bass sat on the bleachers, dejected. 

"Okay." Courtney started. "This is really bad, one more game and we'll lose the whole challenge. Again! We can't let that happen people." Scott smiled.

_*static*_

**Scott: All according to plan.** Scott used his shark tooth to whittle at a thick stick. **Another elimination ceremony and it's bye-bye Duncan. Or Harold- I can't decide! I'm like a kid in a candy store full of suckers! Hehehehe! And I'm gonna..** He paused **um.. like break them and stuff!**

_*static*_

Courtney stood up. "We need someone strong. "Someone mean. Someone who'll crush those stupid Gophers into the dirt!" Everybody instantly looked over to the sleeping Duncan. 

"Uh-uh." D.J. shook his head. "If we wake him up, he'll kill us!" 

"He won't kill us guys, he wants to win too." Courtney said. 

"Courtney's right." Harold nodded. "We need Duncan's fierceness to win this." 

"That's the spirit Harold! Now go wake him up."

Harold looked around at the campers staring at him. "Why me?"

"Because, other than Tyler, you're the worst at dodgeball. And if he does kill you, you're the only one we can afford to lose."

"No way." Harold protested. "I'm not doing it!"

"Well? Who's gonna wake him up?" Courtney asked grimly. No one met her eyes.

\---

A long, trembling stick made it's way to Duncan's butt and poked it once. The gang was holding up a long piece of stick. 

"We have to go higher!" Courtney ordered. The stick slowly went to Duncan's face and touched his nostril. Duncan grabbed the stick suddenly and pulled it away from them. Now up, he broke the stick in half with a growl, splinters flying. He poked Harold on the chest.

"You better have a really good reason for sticking this up my now." Courtney slipped in between them.

"Look. We are down two nothing, I can appreciate that you need a little nap time, but we need your help."

"Oh- and why should I help you darling." Duncan smirked. 

"Because, I can personally guarantee you that if we lose this game, YOU'll be the one going home." She leaned in, eyeing him patronizingly. "Darling." 

Duncan sighed. "Fine, I'll play. On one condition. You do what I say, when I say it." Courtney nodded. "Okay. here's a strategy I picked up during my first visit to juvie. It's called, 'Crush the new guy'." Duncan punched his open hand.

\---

On the Killer Bass, Duncan, Courtney, Trent, Cody and Justin all walked up with a new air of certitude. On the Gopher's side, there was Owen, Leshawna, Noah, and Kitty. Heather walked up to Anne Maria, who was too busy spray tanning. She just begun to shake the hair spray. 

"Oh no, you are not doing that again. You didn't go yet." Heather pointed to the court. 

"I ain't risking fly-aways." She patted her hair. Heather hit her spraying can, and it rolled onto the court. Anne Maria gasped. 

"Noo!" The can bounced by Kitty and Beth. Anne Maria brawled. "Ooh, this ain't over." She glared at Heather before stomping off to collect her can. Heather smirked. Chef blew into the whistle for round three.

Beth and Kitty both threw a ball, and both Duncan and Courtney dodged them. They all collected the balls, and four of them aimed. At once, the four whizzed across and hit Owen. Four stars circled Owen's head and he fell over. The whistle accompanied the Killer Bass's whoops. They all celebrated as Duncan nodded approvingly. Another whistle, another four balls hit in unison, at Leshawna, Noah, and Kitty. Anne Maria was the only one left. 

The Killer Bass drew back and did the same technique. Anne Maria picked up her spray can and kissed it. "Ahaha!" The four balls whizzed at her the same time she turned to them. She yelped, but didn't get hurt thanks to her metal hair. The balls bounced off her hair like it was steel. The Killer Bass looked towards Chef for the whistle. 

He shrugged. "Hair don't count." They all groaned, and the Gophers began to list off shouts and commands for Anne Maria to throw them out. Anne Maria waved her hand.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it- hold on." She blissfully sprayed her hair. Courtney whispered something into Cody's ear, and he nodded. Doing the unique move again, Cody rubbed the ball on his shirt and aimed. Anne Maria fanned the hair spray to her, and then the ball hit her right on the side of her hair, denting it. "Oof!" An electric current ran through her hair and trembled a bit before her hair suddenly spazzed out in all directions into a messy, charged up afro. She screamed.

"AAUUGGHH! MY POOF... IS POOFED!" Anne Maria frantically tried to fix it while spraying her hair again. Duncan nodded. 

"Now." They threw the four balls out and struck four body hits at once. Now Chef blew the whistle. Anne Maria wailed and ran back to the bleachers. 

_*static*_

**Anne Maria: That- little PIPSQUEAK-! Oh when I get my paws on him!**

_*static*_

"I think we should do the same thing, all over again." Courtney grinned. "So Harold, sit this one out too." Harold ogled. 

"But I sat the last one out!" 

"It's for the good of the team." Harold slumped and D.J. patted him on the back. 

Heather stood in the middle of the bleachers. "Okay, we are NOT losing another game to these guys- GOT it?" She threw her arms up. "And where is Lindsay? Ugh!" She walked out in search of Lindsay. Heather walked outside until she reached the dock, hearing some giggles. She peered over the edge and gasped.

Lindsay and Tyler were chattering under the dock.

"This is so against the rules!" Heather scorned them. They both looked up. 

"I'm sorry- I didn't mean it!" Lindsay apologized. 

"Hey why don't you just chill out?" Tyler called up. Heather picked up an empty canoe. 

"Why don't YOU dodge THIS." She threw it down. Tyler, now inside the canoe, shouted,

"OW!" 

\---

Dragging a sad Lindsay back, Heather propped her on the dock. "Sit down and stay there." 

"Okay." Lindsay did so.

Heather looked in. "How are we doing?" Another four balls hit Beth out, making her fly backwards.

"Their new technique is pretty effective." Noah said, rubbing his arm.

"No. Really turkey?" Heather eyed him, put out. Leshawna fell down, and another whistle gave a point to the Killer Bass. They all cheered.

"This is ssso unexceptionable." Heather bit. Tyler, rubbing his head, walked by Courtney and sat down on the bleachers. 

"Where were you?"

"Nowhere!" Tyler lied.

"You were with that blonde Gopher girl weren't you?"

"No..! ... Maybe." Tyler looked away. "So?"

"So, she could've been getting you to spill all of our weaknesses to her!" Lindsay was playing "puppet", nodding happily to her moving hand.

"Okay!" Chris said. "This is it! The final tie-breaking game!" The Killer Bass got into a huddle.

"Okay- who's going in?" Duncan said.

"I think it's my turn." Harold piped up.

"No way, we actually have a chance to win this." Courtney vetoed. Harold sadly nodded, and went off to the bleachers.

"Gophers, Bass!" Chris called. "Let's send this sample to the lab, and see _watchyo made of!_ "

Chef whistled. With Heather clapping them up, the Gophers grabbed a ball and hustled around, tossing it to each other. 

"Come on people!" Heather ordered. "Quick feet, fast hands!" She caught the ball and threw it to D.J., who jump dodged it. The balls went back and forth. Kitty got hit, and so did Cody. Both teams having one person go back to the bleachers and high-five someone else in. On and on, the bleachers were switched in and out with different people. Back on the right side of the bleachers, the continual cycle washed out with Harold sitting out in most of them. Trent tapped Harold on the shoulder, kindly handing him a ball. Harold grinned, nodded and hopped onto the arena.

"Back of the court princess." Duncan gestured to Harold. Harold obeyed, sagging. The team looked to Harold. Emma threw a ball and smacked Courtney in the face. 

"That's, for the oatmeal." Emma smirked. Leshawna guffawed. 

"Ohohoho! You messed, with the wrong lawer!" She pointed.

D.J. ducked from an incoming ball and he looked at the ball bouncing away. Another got him on the head. Leshawna got out. Duncan got out, by three balls separately hitting him in different places. He wavered and dropped to the ground. Harold looked over him. A spinning ball made its way toward Gwen, but Cody jumped in front of her, taking a ball to the crotch. He grabbed it as he flew off, the ball blocked. Emma and Trent both threw a ball, and it hit each other the same time. They were both whistled out. 

Carrying the injured out, the only ones left was Harold and Owen. Harold gulped as Owen held a ball in hand. Getting this, the Screaming Gophers celebrated their presumed victory. The Bass looked aghast.

"Sorry dude. But you gotta go down." Owen picked up four balls. Hand to head, Duncan griped,

"Good-night Harold."

\---

Harold squinted and got into his kung-fu stance. He beckoned Owen to go. Owen frowned, and ran down the court, throwing three balls at him in full speed. 

With a sudden nature of grace, Harold twirled and spun past the balls, dodging them easily. Owen spun the last ball and threw it right at Harold's face. In slow motion, Harold bent backwards. He stared at the ball as it barely missed him by a hair. It hit the wall and bounced off. The Screaming Gophers froze.

"Time out!" Courtney said. "Time out!" Chef granted it with a whistle. Harold sat with D.J. cloaking a towel around his neck. Tyler held up a bucket and Izzy squirted water out of a bottle into his mouth.

"Man, that boy's got dodge." Duncan said. "Where'd you learn to do that?" Harold spit the water, missing the bucket and spraying it at Tyler instead. Harold wiped his chin.

"Figure-skating." 

"Harold, that was amazing!" Trent nodded. Scott rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, _fantastic."_

"But dodging isn't enough."

"Trent's right." Courtney said. "To win this, you either have to throw him out-"

"Which we all know you can't do." Duncan added.

"-or catch the ball. Can you do it?"

"Definitely." Harold nodded as he accepted another stream of water. He spit it at Tyler. D.J. pat him on the back.

"Come on- now go catch that ball!" Entering back, both teams emboldened the last player. The Killer Bass both chanted.

"Harold, harold, harold, harold!" Owen winded up his arm and turned his arm around.

"Cowa- _BUNGA!_ " The ball flew into Harold's open arms and hit him dead in the gut. His back slapped against the wall and slid down. The team stopped in suspense and Duncan got up, gasping. 

Harold held in his stomach...

and then held up the ball in his hand triumphantly. Chef whistled and Chris announced,

"The Killer Bass wins!" They went wild. Owen slapped his hands to his face. "It's impossible!" He got to his knees. "WHYYYY!" He wailed. 

The team (all except for Scott) carried out their victor, Harold held up by the team and they walked out. "Nice dodge skater-nerd." Duncan nearly complimented. Chris walked up to the Screaming Gophers. 

"Gophers, what happened?" Ezekiel picked his nose and wiped it out. Kitty scrambled back. 

"Eww! That's really gross." Beth nodded.

"This game was rigged, eh?" He waved his hand. 

"Oh really?" Chris smiled. "How so?"

"They've got way more guys on their team. We only got four!" The girls in the team gasped. Leshawna snapped her fingers. 

"Oh, you did NOT just do that."

Anne Maria pushed her way in. "Excuse me, what's that supposed to mean?" 

"Yes, enlighten us." Emma crossed her arms.

"Well, guys are much stronger and better at sports than girls are." Ezekiel plainly said. The guys started to back off from the seething girls.

Mike whispered to Cam. "Aw man, he did _not_ say that!" Cameron cowered back, expecting an explosion.

"It's like he has a death wish!" Cameron whispered back.

"My dad told me to look out for the girls here, eh? And help 'em in case they can't keep up." Leshawna grabbed him by the hoodie and held him up. 

"You are just asking for a fight ova' here." 

"Still think we need your help keeping up?" Heather growled. 

"Uh.. not really." Ezekiel choked out. Mike stepped in.

"Okay, maybe we should give him a break guys." Leshawna dropped Ezekiel down. 

Cameron said, "Hey, at least he doesn't think that guys are smarter than girls." Ezekiel poked his head up.

"But.. they are??"

_*static*_

**Cameron: I'm a bubble boy, and even I know what's sociably acceptable.**

_*static*_

**Scott: We won? Ugh! Harold you're next!**

_*static*_

**Harold: I guess I'm kind of a role model now that I won the dodgeball competition.** He ate some chips. **People will probably all want my autograph when the show is over and stuff.**

_*static*_

It was night, and the fire was dancing as brightly as ever during the elimination ceremony. All the girls were staring venomously at Ezekiel. 

"Campers." Chris held the plate of marshmallows. "You all placed your votes and made your decision. One of you will be going home. And you can't come back. Ever. When you hear me call out your name, come pick up a marshmallow."

"Owen." He got up with a fist pump and walked over.

"Emma."

"Zoey."

"Beth."

"Mike." He went and high-fived Zoey.

"Cameron." He sighed.

"Heather."

"Leshawna."

"Anne Maria."

"Kitty." Kitty got up and held hands with Lindsay. She worriedly looked over at Heather. 

"Lindsay." She whooped and grabbed a marshmallow, kissing it. 

There was only two left, Noah and Ezekiel. Ezekiel looked considerably more nervous than Noah, but he wasn't 100% calm either.

_*static*_

**Noah: Okay- fine, so I can see why I was in the last two. But come on! I joined afterwards Heather.**

_*static*_

Chris grinned, waiting in an unnecessary beat. "... Noah." Noah smirked and went up to claim his marshmallow. Ezekiel looked down.

"Can't say I'm shocked. You were picking your nose dude, not cool." Chris shook his head. "Dock of Shame is that way bro." 

Ezekiel got up, hands in his pocket, and walked down the dock. Leshawna called out, 

"You need to learn a little thing called, respect." 

"Alright!" Chris said. "So it wasn't the most dramatic campfire ceremony ever. But I still get paid, haha! Bonus!" He pointed to the camera and grinned.


	4. Not Quite Famous

**Chapter 4** \- Not Quite Famous

With Chris actually letting the campers wake up to their own accord this time, the morning seemed to be a peaceful one. Semi-peaceful.

In the boy's cabin:

Mike was sleeping under the covers, snoring. In mid-snore, he gasped and contorted his face into that of Chester's.

"These young whippersnappers, with all their jammering and tomfoolery!" He wheezed, then gasped back to Mike.

"Aw come on Chester, keep it down?" He gasped again.

"Fine! For now..." In the bunk across from his was Cameron, who was crouched over in his sleeping bag like a caterpillar in a cocoon. He opened his eyes in the dark cave of his bag.

_*static*_

**Cameron: I had a hard time falling asleep the first few nights.** He rubbed more lotion on his hands. **It was my first time sleeping outside my bubble! But finally, I recreated it with my sleeping bag and I was out like that!** He snapped his fingers. **What an adventure!**

_*static*_

Meanwhile in the girl's cabin:

Anne Maria dried her hair with a hair drier while brushing it in the wind. Zoey walked up to her and called,

"Hey! How'd you sneak that in?"

"Easy!" She paused in her morning hair care. "I stuck it in my poof." Anne Maria put the items into her top hair and rummaged through it. She took out her hairspray and started to jet it. Zoey covered her mouth and coughed.

"Okay, this is so, way, beyond bad!" Lindsay cried out. "I'm out of fake tanner already!" She looked over her bunk covered in squeezed out bottles. Anne Maria stopped spraying and gasped.

"Oh _no_ baby girl!" She walked over to console Lindsay.

"Now I have to actually like sun-tan. In the _sun!_ Do you realize how shriveled and wrinkly that can make your skin?"

"Say no more honey, I got your back." Anne Maria took out one of her tanners and handed it to Lindsay.

"For real?" Lindsay smiled.

"Course. Gotta look after my tanless sisters right?" Lindsay jumped and hugged her.

"Ooh, thank you, thank you!" Lindsay pulled back from the hug and looked down at her orange stained clothes.

"Whoop."

In the bunks nearby, Emma stuffed her face into her pillow.

"Can you keep it down?" She said, muffled. Kitty swung her head down from the top bunk.

"Why? It's late morning now."

"And I should stop sleeping because?"

"Meh. Good point." Kitty climbed down and slid next to her sister. "Sooo, Heather's got this alliance thing going on with Beth and Lindsay. How about we make our own alliance?"

"Nuh-uh, no way." Emma answered.

"Why not?"

"I have enough trouble keeping you in line, with a whole other group to keep track of I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on you as much."

Kitty sighed. "Yep, we reeaally need an alliance." Kitty tapped her chin. "Well then, have you noticed any of the guys looking your way-?"

"No." Emma said quickly.

"Hey! ...Do you hear that?" Kitty held a hand up to her ear. "Hear what?"

"The Love Detector- it's going off the charts!" Kitty grinned. "Wait, Kitty don't-"

_"AEGH. AEGH. AEGH. AEGH. AEGH._ "

"Kitty stop it, you're being-"

" _WHOOOP. WHOOOP. WHOOOP. CUCKOO! CUCKOO! CUCKOO!"_ Emma held her hands to her ears, got up, and walked away.

_"HONK! HONK! HONK!-"_

**_HOONK!_** The loudspeakers all over the island echoed. Chris's voice sputtered on.

"Alright campers, enough beauty sleep. Time to show us what you're _made of!_ "

Soon enough, all the campers were sitting on two larger bleachers. In front was a round stage with pretty pink curtains. Lights were plugged in and all displayed toward the stage.

"Are we gonna see a musical?" Lindsay asked, sitting between Heather and Noah. Her skin was more orange today. "I love musicals, especially the ones with singing and dancing!" Emma walked by followed by Kitty.

"Yes, because it's still a musical without the singing and dancing." She rolled her eyes. Noah sighed, eyes sparkling.

"Hey Gwen! Saved you a seat." Trent waved out and patted the spot next to him.

"Thanks." She grinned. Cody walked up and sat next to them. When Trent leaned back and propped his feet on the seats, Cody copied him. However, his body didn't fit and he fell back into the bleachers.

"Whoa! Uh, hehe." He stilled posed and smiled.

While Heather stared at this, she looked up at Lindsay who blew a kiss to Tyler with a waggle of her fingers. Tyler caught it and winked back at her. She grinned a lot, until she saw Heather glare at her. She straightened up and smiled innocently. Heather hmphed, and whipped her long ponytail at Lindsay's mouth. Lindsay coughed and spit, pulling a single long black hair from her tongue.

Chris walked on the stage. "Welcome to our brand new, deluxe, state-of-the-art, outdoor amphitheater! Okay, this week's challenge is a summer's camp's favorite: A Talent Contest!"

"Yes! Awesome!" Owen got up.

"Each team has eight hours to pick their three most talented campers. These three will represent them in the show tonight. Sing, dance, juggle- anything goes! As long as it's _legal."_ He eyed Duncan. Duncan snapped his fingers.

"You'll be judged by our resident talent scout, former DJ VJ and rap legend; Grannnd Master Chef! Who will show his approval via, the Chef-o-meter!" He pointed upwards and a large spoon appeared with Chef's face on it. There were ten flashing green bars as points.

"The team that loses might send one camper home tonight!" He walked off the stage. "Good luck!"

\---

Heather blew into a whistle and held her clipboard. "Okay, I'm the team captain so here's how it's going to work."

"Hold on. Who said you were team captain?" Emma questioned.

"She did! Just now." Lindsay answered.

"Lindsay, Beth and I took a vote, and I won." Heather grinned.

"You know, forcing them to vote for you isn't exactly democratic." Emma crossed her arms.

"Oh- and you think _you_ could do a better job?"

"Actually, yes. -But we don't need a team captain. Let's just all go around and take turns to see which is the most popular, okay?" Heather scowled.

"Hey prissy, lay off and let the more sane option rule." Noah rolled his eyes.

"Yes, thank you." Emma smiled.

"Whatever." Heather scorned. "But Lindsay, Beth and I are the judges." Emma slapped her face.

"Ugh, missing the point. *sigh* Fine! Let's just hurry up and get on with this."

\---

In the Killer Bass, Trent walked up with a guitar slung across his back and a pastry in his hand.

"Hey, snagged you an extra muffin." He whispered. Gwen grinned. "Thanks."

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Courtney asked. Tyler waved his hand.

"Me! Let me go get something from the cabin first." He ran off.

"Are you gonna audition?" Trent asked.

"Doubtful. You should be in this though." Gwen said. "I heard you the other night by the dock? You were really good." He beamed.

\---

In front of the Screaming Gophers, Owen chugged a jug of soda.

"What's he going to do?" Zoey asked Mike.

"I have no idea."

"Heey! Mike, you're good at acting. It's funny- sometimes- maybe you should audition?" Zoey smiled.

"Wha-? Oh! Nonono, I don't know." Mike nervously looked away.

"But, didn't you wanted to be an actor?" Zoey asked.

"Well, yes but uh-... Oh! Look, Owen's about to do it!" Mike pointed.

After finishing, Owen tossed the carton aside and took in a quick breath. He belched,

" _ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYANDZZZZ!_ " He bowed. All the guys stood up and applauded.

"Nice one big guy." Noah smirked.

"Yes!" Owen punched the air.

"Egh! Well you're not going to do that in this contest, that's disgusting!" Heather ridiculed.

"I can also toot Beethoven's Fifth!" Owen bent over to demonstrate. The judges cried,

"No, nonono!" But before they could protest any more, Owen let a single note or two slip out. It evaded the whole cabin area.

"Noo!" Everyone coughed. Noah got up.

"I'm gonna hang in the bathroom where it smells better." He eyed Owen and turned to leave, then bumped into Emma who was plugging her nose too, having the same idea. They smiled.

"Where are you going?" Heather asked.

"Someplace with oxygen!" Noah called back. Emma chuckled. Kitty perked at this and ran after her.

"Wait, not you too-! Ergh." Heather crossed her arms. Owen walked up to her.

"Umm, Heather? Excuse me?"

_"What."_

"Can I um, go? Ehehehe." Owen shrugged, holding his legs a bit apart.

"Eww, Owen! Yes, leave. Please." Owen ran off to the bathrooms.

A spinning pink yo-yo spun on the ground as Tyler demonstrated some tricks. He shot it out in a straight line, but when it boinged back it whizzed past him and wrapped around him like a mummy in string. The yo-yo bounced against his forehead.

Courtney slapped her face.

"Man, that is weak." Chris walked in.

"Um, no." Courtney said primly. "Hey.. where did goth girl go?" Trent pointed in the direction of the woods.

"She said she had to go somewhere."

"Oh really?" Cody said. "Um, sorry guys but, the Code-ster, will be right back." He jogged away to where Trent pointed.

Tip-toeing quickly, Heather danced to classical music in a pink suit and tutu. She leaped high into the air and landed gently in a pose. The Gophers clapped.

"Thank you." She breathed, grinning. Looking over at Lindsay and Beth, she coughed "Ahem."

"Oh! I vote for Heather to be in the contest!" Lindsay said.

Beth nodded. "I second that."

"Guys, that's so sweet." Heather looked to her right. She froze and spied Gwen walking down a path, holding a book tightly in her arms. Heather smirked.

"Okay, so I guess I'm in. Why doesn't everyone take five?" The group dispersed. Heather ran and clasped Lindsay around the arm before she could leave.

"I need you to do something. Can you keep a secret?"

"Oh my gosh, definitely. My sister got diarrhea once on a date, and I had to bring her toilet paper because the restaurant was all out and she was stuck in the bathroom- and I've never told a soul." Lindsay slowly looked to the cameras, duped.

"O-oops... sorry Paula." Lindsay apologized. Heather handed her a walkie-talkie.

"Gwen is up to something serious, I want you to follow her and report back to me." Heather pushed Lindsay off and simpered.

\---

Through a pair of binoculars, Lindsay spied on Gwen who was sitting on a flat stump, writing in her diary.

"Serious, yeah- seriously boring." Lindsay huffed and looked another direction with the eyeglass. She spotted Tyler walking slowly back to the cabins, tied up in the yo-yo string. She zoomed in on his butt.

"Ooh, that's not boring!"

\---

Owen walked out of his cabin and passed by Kitty who was waiting for her sister Emma and Noah.

"Oh, hey Kitty." Owen waved. "How's it going?"

"That." Kitty pointed to the two waiting outside of the bathrooms. "Just look." Owen looked over. They were chatting while they waited for the person inside to be finished.

"Kitty's so unfocused." Emma talked. "Maybe I should get a Kitty harness to keep her from wandering off."

"Right?" Noah grinned. "And Owen? He.."

"Ugh! They're both so snarky and full of themselves!" Kitty stewed as the conversation kept rolling.

"How are they not a couple yet?" Owen asked.

"It's Emma." Kitty sighed. "She's still hurt from her last breakup."

"Oohh, still fresh?" Owen asked.

"It was three years ago."

"Oh."

"Yep. Getting these two together is gonna take some work." Kitty and Owen both instantly looked at each other and fist-bumped with a set face.

"Yeahahaha!" Owen approved.

\---

In a tight white suit and cap, D.J. held up a hand with a trailing pink ribbon behind it. It twirled and enchanted the group, snapping. D.J. swirled it around some more before jumping into a splits on the ground. The Bass clapped.

Courtney crossed her arms. "Fine, sign him up. Next."

"Oh, me!" Scott jumped out. "I can whittle the face of anybody on wood. Check it." Scott flipped out his sharp tooth and began to carve into a block of wood.

"Okay, that's cute. But I just don't think it's quite what we're looking for. Next!" Courtney said.

Harold walked forward and stood in front of them. He held up a finger and took in a deep breath before-

"Next!"

"Aawww." Harold let go of his breath.

\---

" _Lindsay, come in."_ Heather's stern voice cackled through the walkie-talkie in the communal bathrooms. _"What did you find out? Over."_

On the sinks, Tyler and Lindsay were making out. The walkie-talkie sitting on the far edge.

_"Lindsay where are you!?"_ Lindsay reached over but fell on Tyler, she was tangled in the yo-yo string with him. Tyler took it and gave it to her.

"Oh- o-on my way back! Under!" Lindsay responded.

\---

Izzy turned on the radio to some smooth, Egyptian music. Izzy danced a sort of belly-dance, and slithered like a snake. "I call this. The dance. Of. The rattlesnake!" Izzy cupped her hands into fangs.

"Wisshhoo, wisshhoo!" Izzy wooshed. "Look into my eyes- what do you see? Danana, adubidanananananana!" She jabbered. Izzy's mumbo jumbo failed to impress Courtney.

"Next." She rolled her eyes. Trent waved and walked up with his guitar.

\---

Twirling sticks with fire on both ends, Beth spun two of them on her hands, glowing rings of flames. One of them got very close to Heather.

"Are you sure this is safe?" She and the girls sitting next to her on the bench reeled back.

"It's okay! I've been practicing!" Beth balanced with one leg up. She propelled the two up into the air, a little unsure when tossing them up. It came down like meteor.

"Run!" Owen lifted the bench as a fort and so the the others. Beth stumbled and hopped out of the way before it blasted into the ground, leaving simmer marks.

She peeked from the bench. "I kinda missed the catching class." Everyone walked over and stared at the mini crater.

"Maybe I can just spin it?" Beth offered.

"Well, since our group is so pathetically talentless, I guess it's... me, Anne Maria, and Beth."

"Wait, Anne Maria? What could she do?" Mike asked.

"She said she could inhale hairspray for five minutes straight and not faint. It's all we've got. And frankly, I don't care if she does passes out."

"Well, I believe in her." Zoey looked to Mike.

\---

Cody found Gwen and strutted up to her with a bounce in his steps. She tapped the pen on her chin before scribbling something down.

"Watcha got there? A journal?" Cody asked.

"Beat it." Cody sat down instead.

"Ooh, I get it. It's like private huh? I'm down with that, yeah 'it's cool brah.'" He looked away, resting his arms. Soon as Gwen looked away, Cody leaned over and peeked.

"What part of 'beat it' don't you understand?" Gwen glowered at him. She turned back again.

Cody bent his head and sniffed Gwen hair. She slapped her notebook shut.

"What're you, some kind of freak?" She stood up away from him.

"Y-you just smell, really pretty." Cody rubbed his arm.

"It's just. Soap."

\---

Trent was practicing the guitar. He got in. The Killer Bass had three acts ready to go, D.J, Trent, and Courtney's solo violin act.

Gwen walked by and saw the crater caused by the second stick, still sizzling nearby. "I won't even ask." She stepped over it. Cody followed her and hopped over the pit.

At the girl's cabin again, Lindsay tapped Heather on the shoulder and gestured to Gwen and Cody, walking up the stairs.

"Look!" Heather said as Cody rushed to open the door for Gwen. "The first hook-up of the season!" Gwen clenched her hands and turned.

"Oh yeah." She smiled falsely. "We are going at it big time. I need to swim just to cool off." She grabbed the handle and shut the door loudly. Cody scrambled to peek through the screen, but the door slammed at his face again as Gwen walked out in her swimsuit.

"Ohw!" Cody laid flat against the wall.

"Gwen wait up!" Trent called. "I'll come with you."

"Sure." Gwen lit up. Then she saw Heather staring at her. "I mean- whatever." She walked off and so did Trent. Lindsay was about to leave again, but Heather held up her hand.

"You. Stay here. We've got a diary to find."

_*static*_

**Heather: Okay, compared to the Killer Bass, our three acts suck. So, if we're going to go down, we might as well go down with a bang.** She smirked. **Maybe even throw one of them off their game a bit.**

_*static*_

On the stage was the Killer Bass, practicing. Courtney played her violin, Duncan and D.J. played cards. Harold asked Scott, who was whittling another statue.

"Besides whittling, what other skills do you have?" Harold breathed over his shoulder. Scott waved him off.

"Psh, a lot of things. I can eat a pound of dirt no problem."

"No way, you would puke."

"Hah! Wanna bet?"

Duncan and D.J. got up from their card game. "Yeah- that's like virtually impossible."

"There's no way he could stomach all that." The boys started to pile on some spare change, dollars, and a chocolate bar.

Scott hopped down over and held up an armful of dirt. "Okay, one pound of dirt going down the hatch!" Scott then dug into the pile like a feral animal. The boys all laughed. Courtney stopped violin for a while, but resumed with a grossed-out look on her face.

"Guys." She rolled her eyes.

\---

Heather peeked from the cabin door. "You stand guard." She told Lindsay. "And remember, if you see Gwen coming, warn me." Heather ran inside to start the search.

"Okay." Lindsay saluted.

Out at the dock, Trent and Gwen both sat over the edge, swinging their feet idly by.

Gwen sighed. "Sometimes I just need to get away from everyone here, you know? I mean it's like they're all driving me crazy." She looked over to Trent, giving a sympathetic smile. "Well, almost everyone." She smiled, averting her gaze to hide her blush. The dock began to shake up and down. Large footsteps rumbled in.

It was Owen and Cody.

"CANNONBAAALL!" They both jumped, in their bathing suits. Gwen cringed as the big splash hit her. Dripping, she got up seething.

"Ugh! I _hate_ this place!" She stomped off.

"Nice going guys." Trent shamed the two boys swimming.

Owen turned to Cody. "Yeah, nice going."

\---

Heather ransacked the entire cabin, looking through Gwen's bunk.

"*sigh* Okay, if I were a secret diary, where would I be stashed?"

Lindsay toyed with her hair as Gwen walked up. "Hey Gwen." She stopped and jumped and up.

"Gwen! It's you! HI!" Lindsay's voice went through the cabin walls and Heather burst out of the pile of suitcases.

"What are you doing here outside the cabin, Gwen?"

"Trying to get into the cabin?"

"Oohh, you're trying to get into the cabin! That's very interesting!" Heather quickly foraged in the drawers. Outside, Lindsay stopped Gwen from walking.

"Wait! Stay here- we can.. get tans together! And you could totally use one." Heather held up a notebook and flipped through it.

"Yes! She is _so_ dead!"

"Are you gonna move? Or do I have to throw you out of my way?" Heather shut the drawer and kicked the mess away.

"You can try- but I have martial arts training!" Lindsay stanced. Gwen gave her a furious look and grit her teeth.

Lindsay blanked. "Okay you can go in." She ducked. Gwen opened the door.

"Look! Gwen's back!" Lindsay said to Heather.

"Hey Gwen, did you have a good swim?"

"What, is going on in here?" Gwen looked at the place.

"*yawn*, nothing. Just resting before the big show. Are you always so paranoid?"

"Yeah, really." Lindsay commented. Then she waved and ran after Heather. Gwen glowered.

\---

Backstage, everybody was preparing for the big show. Scott snuck by the members and waited for them to look away. With his shark tooth, Scott ran over to the two instruments laying down. Scott made his way to the guitar but he saw Trent coming. He acted casual as Trent walked up and grabbed his guitar. Now the violin was left. Scott looked over to Courtney, who was listening to Izzy ramble on about something. He looked back at the violin, hesitating to break it.

He frowned.

_*static*_

**Scott: Sorry Courtney, but we've got to lose.** He crossed his arms.

_*static*_

The tooth slashed at the violin strings, completely wiring it to tangles. Scott ran off as Courtney walked in.

"Okay, Izzy, no one cares if you once had a- _*GASP*!"_ Scott walked away with his hands in pocket.

"MY VIOLIIINNN!" Courtney got down on her knees. Trent ran over.

"Whoa, what happened?"

"I-I don't know! I turn away for one second and-and.. BAAAHAAAAHAA!" She cried. "Somebody- killed it!"

"Now what? We only got two acts now!" D.J. freaked.

Trent walked back to his guitar. "Don't worry guys, we'll figure out somethi-" He gasped too. The guitar was also beaten up, though considerably more than the violin.

"No way!" Trent picked it up. One of the strings broke. He scowled. "Okay. WHO did this."

"Now only one act!" D.J. gulped.

Heather listened in on the chaos and soaked it in.

"Ahh. Who needs an instrument? This is music." She dusted her tutu off and walked in.

"Hey guys what's up? You ready for the big show tonight?" They looked up at her, cradling the broken string instruments.

"S-someone, broke them!" Courtney sniffed.

"Whaat?" Heather was half shocked. "Who could it be?"

_*static*_

**Heather: So there's someone else on this island as devious as I? Oohoho, and on their team? This. Is. Rich.** Heather giggled. **I guess I didn't need Gwen's diary after all...** She snickered. **Sike! As if I'd pass up an opportunity like this.**

_*static*_

"So sorry for the loss guys. I guess you're going to get your fifteen seconds of fame after all huh?"

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Trent asked.

"Oh, nothing. No one would sabotage their own teammates. Unless they maybe felt threatened."

"No way! We're a team." D.J. said.

"Well, I guess you'll go down as a team too." She flipped her hair and walked out.

The team stood in a silent pause.

"D.J." Courtney said.

"Yeah?"

"You better get a ten." He gulped.

\---

"It's the TDI challenge extravaganza!" Chris's voice announced. "Welcome to the very first camp Wawanakwa talent contest!" Chris stood center of the stage. "Where six campers will showcase their mad skills and desperately try not to humiliate themselves. First up for the screaming Gophers, is Anne Maria!"

"Hold your breath." Noah whispered to Emma. They both plugged their noses.

The spotlight rolled around before jerking onto Anne Maria.

"Other than being hot, today I will hairspray myself-" A glass box went over her. "-inside this box and breath for a full five minutes without fainting!"

"Do not attempt at home." Chris added.

"Is that even scientifically possible?" Cameron gulped.

She shook the can. "Here goes bay-by!" And she filled the glass box with fumes until you couldn't even look through it anymore.

"Annd timer start!" The clock began, and started to countdown. At first, the campers weren't too worried. But as the clock ticked onto the third minute, a few were starting to get concerned.

By the fourth minute, the glass box did not stir and the crowd was worried. Chris looked at his watch impatiently.

"Okay- she better be alive or else this'd be the most boring show ever." He gruffed.

"Is she alive?" Gwen asked. Trent shrugged.

5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Ding!

The glass box raised up and the concentrated block of gas rolled onto the audience, everybody started to gag and cough. Chris covered his arm and said in a nasally voice,

"Did she make it? Or do we need to clear her a trip to the E.R.?" A drumroll presented itself and the purple fog began to clear up.

Anne Maria popped out of the shadow and posed. "Hah! Made it." Anne Maria sprayed her hair again.

"Wow." Chris waved his hand away. "I'm surprised you're still alive. Seriously, that was crazy." He pointed up.

"Let's see if Grand Master Chef found that entertaining at all." The spoon ranked up to five points.

"What? _Only five?"_ Anne Maria shouted. "How-" Chris pushed her off the stage.

"Alright, quit hogging the light." Anne Maria fell off "Wah!" and was dumped onto Tyler. Lindsay ran up.

"Hey- sit on your OWN boyfriend!"

"Your own what Lindsay?" Heather asked.

"I didn't say boyfriend!" She smiled quickly.

"Alright everyone, go breathe a bit. We need to clear the stage out a bit. In the meantime we'll take a short break to host the joint down."

_*static*_

**Anne Maria: Hmph! Only five points.. Why don't you try breathing in only hair spray for five minutes straight.**

_*static*_

**Chris: Please don't.**

_*static*_

**Anne Maria: ..and is Chef blind or somethin'? I was posing and everything too! What, did they not see me?**

_*static*_

"Welcome back to the TDI talent extravaganza! And we're back and breathing! First up for the Killer Bass- make some noise for the big guy: D.J.!"

D.J. graciously entered the stage and pranced around with his ribbon. He made a tornado with the swirl and frolicked through it. His feet however, got caught in the ribbons and he fell to the ground. The team cringed.

He waddled a bit until he snapped the ribbon out and it fell over his sheepish face.

"Dainty and yet masculine." Chris walked back on. "Let's see what Grand Master Chef thinks!" Two points dinged.

"Not much." Chris answered. D.J. sulked out.

"So with two down and four acts to go, it's the Screaming Gophers screaming ahead! Next on deck, Beth! Take it away!"

Beth walked in with the two stick burning lightly. She began to twirl one, then the other. Then they both synchronized and became two glowing balls of heat. The Gophers cheered. Beth hopped on one foot to the next, then threw up the two sticks.

The team gasped, some covering their eyes. One fell backstage next to a brooding Courtney and Trent.

"Now what? D.J. only scored two measly points! How are we going to do this?" She covered her face. The flaming meteor plunged into an empty crate there, and they both screamed.

"Where did that come from?" Trent shrieked. Justin unfurled one of the curtains behind and jumped out with a fire extinguisher. The fire reflected on his sunglasses, and the foam lathered onto the crate until all the fire was gone. He threw aside the can and then flicked off the sunglasses. Then he dramatically flipped his hair, blowing in the nonexistent wind.

Everyone stood still for a moment, before Courtney walked up. "Okay- we got our second act. Any objections?" Everyone shook their head. "Good. Justin, you're up." Justin flashed his teeth at the camera.

Meanwhile, at the same time, the second flying stick whizzed by Chris's head and pummeled into the center of the ground between the bleachers. It fizzled out. Chris poked his head up, a strand of hair on fire. Annoyed, he put it out.

"Thank you Beth for almost killing me." Chris looked at her. She chuckled timidly. "Well, let's see what the Chef-o-meter has to say about this."

The spoon dinged up to an eight.

_"What?!"_ Chris and Beth both said. The Screaming Gophers whooped. "Is it because it almost hit me?" Chris angrily called out. Chef could be heard chuckling.

"I CAN HEAR YOU. Hmph. Fine, the Screaming Gophers win eight points." They all clap again.

"Next is the Killer Bass! Can they catch up to the Gophers? Let's find out!"

Justin walked out and the Killer Bass applauded. His back turned, the spotlight shone on him. A rope fell behind him. Catchy music played as he turned and began to go from pose to pose, modeling. Camera flashes took his picture as he blew a kiss. On a stool now, he arched back and pulled on the rope, dropping water all over him. He flipped forward and his wet hair fell over his face in a model messy fashion. His teeth shone.

_*static*_

**Owen: There are two syllables for hot. Jus and Tin. Man that guy is just so hot I could kiss him!** He stopped. **I mean- d'oh why'd I say that?!**

_*static*_

Justin stood smiling, standing on the puddle of water. Chris walked up clapping,

"Okay, I don't know what that was but daaang you've got some moves dude!" The Chef-o-meter dinged a seven. The Killer Bass clapped.

"The Killer Bass gained seven points, for a total of nine points. But it's not enough to pull ahead of the Screaming Gophers who have thirteen. So, without further delay, for the last round for the Gophers is Heather!"

Heather walked up snobbishly with hands behind her back. She sat on a stool.

"Originally, I was going to dance for you. But instead, I want to celebrate our two team's comradeship with a collaboration." She pulled out the diary. Gwen squinted and jumped.

"She wouldn't." She cowered back as Heather cleared her voice.

"So, with words by Gwen. Performance by me. Enjoy. Ahem. 'Okay, so I'm trying to ignore him but he's just so cute! If they had custom ordered a guy to be a distraction for me here, it would've been McHottie." Lindsay gasped, fearful. Cody laid back with a grinning nod, pointing at him.

"We just totally connect, he's pretty much the only person I can relate to here and I know it's a cliche, but I love guys who play guitar!"

"Wait, I don't play guitar." Cody said. He looked over to Trent sitting next to him, who was fixing up his guitar.

Gwen slid off the bleacher to the side with a squeak, and ran away, humiliated.

Heather smirked. "Thank you!" She shut the book.

"That was so mean." Zoey said to Kitty, who just nodded.

"Seriously."

The Chef-o-meter went to a dinging four.

"Well then, it's down to the final act of the night. Can the Killer Bass, who have decided to keep the next contestant a secret, turn it around and beat the Gopher's seventeen points? I seriously doubt it. Let's find out!"

Behind stage, Courtney freaked out again. "Now what? We have to send someone out there, or we're going to lose!" Courtney shook Duncan by the shoulders.

"Trent's guitar is smashed! And we all already know Tyler sucks."

"Calm down princess, that leaves Scott, Izzy, Cody and Harold." Duncan listed off. "Scott just literally eats dirt, what about the rest?"

"Izzy's snake dance? No way! And Cody just spit out pick-up lines! What can you do?"

"Carve a picture of my skull into a tree?" Duncan offered.

"Aagh!" Courtney screamed. "What are we going to do?!" They both peeked out from the curtains and looked at Harold, who was picked at his underwear.

They looked at each other.

Soon, Harold was on stage with a microphone stand. He looked to the two at the sides.

"Just- go for it Harold." Courtney said.

"You've got nothing to lose." Duncan called.

Harold took in a breath.

" _PBROO."_ He sounded into the mic. _"PBROO. PBROO- KKHKKH CHI! PBROO."_ He was beatboxing. Accumulating the complexity of the beat, by the end was mixing about ten different notes all clashing together into a upbeat noise. Scott was in the back, growling.

_*static*_

**Scott: Really? Are you kidding me? -No, I did not destroy Courtney's violin for nothing! We are losing, and we are losing tonight!**

_*static*_

Scott snuck up to the cord where the mic was, and with a good chop he cut it neatly. Sparks fizzed out and a rogue current traveled the line all the way to Harold's mic. It shocked Harold in mid-beat and shook him for a good five seconds before running out. Greyed out and his hair fried, he coughed once and fell over. "Boo-yah." He slammed to the ground.

"No!" Courtney shook.

Chris walked up to Harold. "Uhh, you good dude?" Harold coughed out a puff of smoke. "Well, guess that wraps things up!"

"That's not fair! It was a technical difficulty!" Courtney cried out.

"Well, guess you should've prepared more huh?"

"Auugh!"

"So, the beat was pretty wicked Harold, but the ending was a little _shocking._ Hehe." He laughed at his own pun. "Let's see what the Chef-o-meter has to say." The spoon ringed up to a six.

"Good, but not good enough. By two points- the Screaming Gophers win! They all cheer as the Killer Bass groan.

"Killer Bass, pick your favorite loser and I'll be seeing you at the bonfire tonight."

_*static*_

**Heather: People thought I was mean to Gwen. Whatever. If it weren't for me, we would've lost. As for the person behind the curtains, I've narrowed it down to either Izzy or Scott. Whoever it is, keep. It. Up.** Heather grinned.

_*static*_

Courtney sulked down the stairs. Scott ran up to her.

"Hey Courtney! Remember when I saved you from getting eliminated?"

"Yeah. So what?" She sighed.

"Well, I want that favor repaid now."

"Hm?"

"I want you to vote for Justin."

"Justin? How come?"

"Becaauuse... he was the one who broke your violin!"

" _What?!"_ Courtney exclaimed. "But why?"

"Didn't you notice? He wanted to take the spotlight and the stage real bad. He sabotaged your violin, Trent's guitar, AND Harold's cord." Scott crossed his arms.

"But then, why did he do all of that when he just had to do away with one?"

"Uhm, guess he's greedy." Scott shrugged. Duncan looked behind the two as they walked and talked, squinting.

_*static*_

**Duncan: Harold's accident was through a broken cord? How'd he know that?** He pointed to the camera. **I've got my eye on you man. I would talk to Justin and the dudes about it but, meh. Not my style.**

_*static*_

**Scott: Since Courtney owes me one, I convinced her to vote off Justin. I promised Cody I'd get him with Gwen if he did too-**

_*static*_

Cody was making his way to the bonfire, but then spotted Gwen walking into the cabins. He waved with a dorky smile, but she just turned away and shut the door.

"Ooh, bad time huh." Scott came up behind him and offered,

"I'll try to get you with Gwen."

"Wha- really?" Cody turned, jumping. "IF you do me one favor." Scott smirked.

_*static*_

**Scott: -it was a lot easier than I thought. And Izzy was just crazy enough to agree.**

_*static*_

**Izzy: -and then Harold went all BTTZZ and it was so funny! Heehee- and then Chris said it was shocking. Hahahaha-** Izzy suddenly turned serious and angry. **-I WANTED TO SAY THAT.** She breathed in and out angrily. **Nah! It's all cool! Heeheehaha!**

_*static*_

The waters shimmered from the moonlit night, the stream leading up to the bonfire. Chris stood in front of the teens, who had already received their marshmallows.

"Kudos to you all for an incredible night of entertainment! Music, drama- man did sparks fly." Chris snickered.

"There is only one marshmallow left on this plate." The last two campers were Justin and D.J.

"Justin, you reminded us all that looks matter a lot. And D.J., you tried." D.J. looked down.

"I got nervous man!"

"Justin I personally think this is very wrong. But tonight, hotness just wasn't enough. The last marshmallow goes to... D.J." He jumped up and grabbed it, sighing. Justin slouched.

"Time to catch the Boat of Losers brah." He walked off to the dock.

"Hehehe, smell ya later 'brah'." Scott snickered.

The group finished their marshmallow and headed back to the cabins. The two angriest were Courtney and Gwen. Courtney, because this was "pathetic". And Gwen because... well...

_*static*_

**Gwen: If that, evil little cow thinks she's getting away with this, she has another thing coming.**

_*static*_

Gwen knocked on boy's door and Harold opened it. "Did you say your brought a red-ant farm with you?"

"Yes." He said.

\---

" _AUUUGGHHH!"_ Heather barged out the door screaming her lungs out, swatting away at the red ants all over her hair, face and body. She tripped.

"Sweet dreams everyone." Gwen curled up and smiled in her bunk, listening to Heather's screams, into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many things going on all at once! Sorry if it's just a whole bunch of mishmash pushed together at this point. Buuut, I did have fun making it :D


	5. The Sucky Outdoors

**Chapter 5** \- The Sucky Outdoors

Already up and waiting, Chris got down to business and dove straight into the new challenge of the day in front of the assemble of twenty two teens.

"Campers." He gave the cocky grin that everyone was beginning to get sick of. "Today's challenge will test your outdoor survival skills. I'm not gonna lie to you, some of you may not come back alive."

Cameron visibly gulped.

*static*

Cameron: Why did I come here? With everything being so closely associated with physical well-being, which is something I clearly wasn't expecting... why couldn't we've done speed trivia? Something to access our knowledge? Math flashcards?

*static*

At some of the camper's gasps, Chris mellowed them, "Just joking. Hehe, all you have to do is spend one night in the woods. Everything you need is at your team's campsite in the forest." He picked up a hiking bag and grabbed some maps out of it. ".. you just have to find it." He tosses one to each team.

Heather easily catches it for her team. Duncan caught the map and a compass out of Courtney's waiting hands, of which punctually swiped them away from him, scowling.

"Oh, and watch out for bears." Chris warned. "Lost a couple of interns in pre-production. First teams back in time for breakfast wins invisibility!" He initiated the challenge with a tall air horn he brought out of nowhere. The honk rang across the island. "Well, off you go!"

"Did he say there are bears up in here?" Leshawna asked with worry evident in her voice.

Owen stood up, "I had a little encounter with a bear once!" He proudly patted his arm. "Let's just say, his head looks real nice up on my mantle." Noah shook his head, but with a small grin.

"Right, and I trapped a pet unicorn." Izzy overheard, perking up.

"Ooh! This one time, I saw a bear eating our garbage! He had old spaghetti noodles just hanging from his big huge teeth, and it looked like blood and guts." Lindsay gave up a noise of disgust, but kept listening intently. "It was so gross! We thought he was eating the neighbor's cat Simba, but it turned out he was just lost for a week." Izzy paused. "Uh, you didn't eat spaghetti did you?"

Lindsay fiercely shook her head no.

"Good, let's go!" Izzy laughed, prancing off. Lindsay got up to follow her, but Heather quickly nabbed her arm roughly into the other direction.

"Wrong team Lindsay." She groused sternly.

"Oh! Uh, oops." The blonde smiled nervously.

...

Down the long winding trail, one might have supposed the people walking down the dirt road might have been hiking amidst the fresh air. Well, fresh but tension-filled air.

"Hey Gwen, wait up!" Trent called after Gwen, who was sulking down ahead of everybody else. He slowed down upon reaching her. "Can I walk with you?"

"No." Gwen heaved with a sigh.

"Hey, if this is about that whole diary thing.." He seemed to be wanting to say something more, but nothing came out. Gwen ignored him and sped up her walking, leaving Trent behind. Obviously distraught, DJ came up to him with a pat on the back.

"Hey man, don't worry about it. What Heather did was pretty bad, it'll take some time for her to recover and be comfortable with you again."

"I guess." Trent shifted his shoulder.

...

Heather scratched at a spot on her arm and scoffed loudly.

"Ugh! She is so the next one to leave."

"Who?" Mike looked up.

"Who do you think?" Heather gestured angrily. "Gwen! She dumped Harold's red ant farm into my bed!"

"Yeah, but you did kind of read her diary out loud to the entire world." Heather abruptly stops, causing everyone behind her to halt and bump into each other with an "oof".

"So?" Heather glared down on all of them.

"So... that was pretty harsh." Mike scratched the back of his head.

"She is going down." Heather griped, before curtly resuming her walk. Mike stood back a while with a grimace, but followed too.

Zoey didn't say anything about the scene, until she hung back and joined Mike and Cameron at the back.

"Hey guys."

"Zoey! What's up?" Mike smiled.

"Just... I dunno. Why does Heather have to be so mean?" Zoey released her thoughts.

"It is rather unnecessarily cruel, what she did to Gwen." Cameron adjusted his glasses. "And it is detrimental to the overall team cooperation."

"I know right." Zoey sighed. Then she brightened up with an idea. "Hey! I overheard Heather talking to Beth and Lindsay in the girl's cabin this morning... I think they've made an alliance with each other."

"An alliance?"

"Yeah! Do you guys wanna make one too?" Zoey threw out a suggestion.

Mike readily nodded. "Of course! Sounds pretty good to me."

Cameron agreed. "I accede. It increases our probability of lasting longer by 45%!"

"Awesome! This way we can stick out for each other! Er, not that I wasn't going to not do that to begin with of course." Zoey laughed. "You're all nice."

"Hehe, yeah... nice." Mike abashedly grinned before falling into another one of his trances. Not too far from them, Kitty was listening in, to both the plans and the new ship she's got invented in her head. I mean, it was pretty obvious since day 1. Kitty mulled. She elbowed Emma in the ribs, causing her to yelp.

"Kitty! What's wrong with you?" She snapped back to her with a frown, rubbing the spot.

"Sorry! But did you hear all that?" Kitty whispered, nodding her head to the back.

"Hear what?" Emma huffed. Kitty looked over to Noah, who was walking in front of her. She slyly grinned.

"Oh, nothing. Look, now there's two alliances I know on this island. Don't you think it'd be smart to... make one too?"

"Nope."

"Oh come on Emma! Consider it? I don't wanna be all left behind in this." She whined in a petulant manner. Emma took a look at her before raising her eyes to the sky.

"Oh for the love of- I'll think about it, okay?"

"Yes! Also, how about Owen and Noah-"

"Kitty."

...

The Screaming Gophers finally reached their spot.

"Uh.. there's no food here." Owen noted.

"This is a survival task." Noah sighed. "Look at the instructions." He looked over the map Heather held in her hands.

"Wonder if there's any bears here... wouldn't it be funny if we made some bear sounds and then they came?" Owen asked.

"Um, how about we don't-" Leshawna was cut off by the somewhat decent imitation of a bear's roar.

"ROOAAR! I'm a BEAR!" Owen emulated, in turn getting disrupted by Heather.

"Ugh, will you shut up? I'm trying to read the map!" Heather snapped. "It says we're supposed to find our own food." She paused and looked around with a scoff. "I still don't see it."

Noah rolled his eyes, a talent he was familiar with. "I believe they mean in the woods."

Owen volunteered, "I'll go! I'm good at finding food."

Heather rolled up the map curtly, "Well! At least this will be a good week for my diet."

Emma, voice dripping with mirth, mumbled, "She'll need a lot more than a diet to fix that level of nasty." Noah failed to contain his adoring laughter.

"What's that?" Heather turned at that with a scowl.

"Oh nothing sweetie." Anne Maria, who had apparently heard the other two's banter, stepped in. "Just talking 'bout your mediocre... everything."

"Mediocre?" Heather sputtered. "Why you-"

...

Dusk began to descend on the island, the forest going from vibrant green to a mellow blue. As the Screaming Gophers set up their campesite, the Killer Bass was nearly finished with propping up their tent for the night.

Cody tip toed near where Gwen was pitching the tent. "Hey Gwen." He spoke with charm, before quickly stumbling on his words. "Nice uh... I like how you pitched the tent. Haha... so graceful." Cody rubbed the back of his neck, clearly not as repulsed by the sad compliment as Gwen was. Gwen just gave a wrenching sigh before zipping herself in the tent with a groan.

*static*

Cody: I'll win her over eventually. It's just a matter of time! And persistence. And humiliation. With a little over the top enthusiasm, he pointed to himself. And I was born to be humiliated!

*static*

Duncan walked up to where Courtney was tending to her firepit. He said with an arrogant tone, "What's for dinner woman? I'm starving." Courtney quickly turned to him with a glare.

"I hope you don't expect me to dignify that with a response."

"Hey guys, look what I found!" DJ called up to the gang. He walked up, carrying a little bunny gently in his arms. The soft creature twitched its nose several times.

"Well." Duncan came up brashly. "I never had rabbit stew before.. but what the heck? I'm game." DJ gave a disbelieving gasp, and hurried to secure the fluffy critter away from Duncan.

"This is my new pet! I'm callin him Bunny!"

"You couldn't find any food?" Courtney asked exasperated. "*groan*, then it looks like we're eating grubs and berries for dinner."

"Say, where did the crazy ginger chick go?" Duncan rubbed his nose, noticing the lack of Izzy.

"Well, wherever she is, she better show up tomorrow for the finish line." Courtney caviled. "If she costs us the race, then I know who my vote is for."

Scott leaned in precariously, obviously humming in devious thought.

*static*

Scott: Nice! With a nut like her, losing this challenge will be easy.

*static*

...

"I'm so hungry." Heather complained.

"Oohh, guys? I think my stomach ate my stomach!" Lindsay worriedly panicked.

"Hey!" Everybody turned to the foreign voice off camera. It was a... pizza man. "Who ordered a cheese with pepperoni?" A blurry hand came out into view, waving as it slowly focused.

"Over here, it's for the camera crew." Heather gawked.

"Oh no way."

Cameron was leaning over the fire pit, adding dry leaves and kindle.

"There! That should last us well into the night!" Cameron dusted his hands off with satisfaction. "Soon as the morning sunlight becomes adequate, it will extinguish." Mike smiled and patted Cameron on the back.

"Nice Cam! See, you didn't have to worry so much about this survival thing after all."

"Thanks! Though, truthfully, I did read a lot of boy scout manuals. I never was one, but the tips in the handbook were all fascinating!"

Owen emerged out of the bushes victoriously, carrying a bout of dead salmon. "I am man! I bring fish!" He shouted in a loud and jocose gruff voice. The rest stood up and hurried over.

"Are you kidding me?" Heather scrutinized the dead floppy creatures.

"Good catch big guy." Noah said in a lofty grin as Kitty eagerly took a picture of it.

"How do you know how to fish?" Heather asked, though still in an accusatory tone.

"My grandpa taught me! I caught a shark once - it bit me in the butt." Owen said proudly. "Check it out!" He turned around and bent over, flashing the team before anybody could blink in protest.

Everybody instantly recoiled, Lindsay and Beth both shielding their eyes in horror. Emma shrieked in disgust, groaning.

"Ugh! Can you believe- how do you remotely deal with this all the time." She asked outloud to Noah. He didn't answer, being too busy shining starry eyes at her. Emma noticed the dopey smile and turned her lour to him. "Uh, earth to weirdo? Hello? ... hello?"

She waved her hand in his face. He didn't respond, but he definitely noticed, his vision indicating something entirely different from Emma's scowl. Throw in some sparkles and a pink filter; it should match what he's seeing.  
She threw her hands up in the air and groaned. Owen dressed properly again, mainly out of concern for Noah.

"Uhh buddy? You okay?"

Noah shook back to his normal complacent face. "My stomach feels funny." He monotonously replied with a grin.

...

"Okay! Fire's hot, grill is grilling, tent is tenting..." Owen stood in front of the fish cooking neatly on top of the fire.

"Great work Owen, the fish looks awesome." Kitty grinned lopsidedly, snapping a picture. The flash illuminated the surrounding area for a second, before returning back into what was now clearly late night.

"Thanks Kitty." Owen said. "I owe it all to grandpa."

"Soo you and your grandpa really fought a bear once?" Beth asked.

"Heck yes." Owen confirmed. "It was the scariest day of my entire life!" The rest looked unsettled, and/or curious. Save for Heather who rolled her eyes.

"We were out in the woods when we came upon the great beast..." Owen began his storytelling.

...

The Killer Bass were tending to their fire, though with significantly less food than the Screaming Gophers. The fire cackled a bright emission amidst the dark, flickering shadows of yellows over to the tents and trees surrounding them. A few ominous noises filled the forest, one in particular being an owl hoot - making the bunny in DJ's hands jump.

"Aw, don't worry bunny. Be cool, the owl won't get ya." He petted it.

"This reminds me of this really scary story I heard once." Duncan said.

"Heh, nothing's scarier than the lantern stories my pa makes up. Bring it." Scott dares.

"Yeah man, tell us." Trent smiled.

"Are you sure? Because the story I'm thinking of is pretty hardcore." Duncan replied unphased.

"Ooh, we're so scared." Courtney mocked with a 'hardcore' eye roll.

"Alright." He shrugged, giving in easily. "But don't say I didn't warn you... One night, a lot like this one..."

Soon, the full moon rose to its full height as both teams carried on with their story antics. A campfire wouldn't be complete without one, would it? Alive with nocturnal life, the forest conjured up with more enigmatic noises. Nearing the end of Duncan, he found himself whispering the story loudly to the others.

"Suddenly, they heard this tap tap tapping on the side of the car. The girl started to freak out, and by this time even the guy was getting a bit scared. So he turned the car on and he stepped on it. When they got back to the girl's house, she opened the door and screamed. Because there, hanging from the door handle... was the bloody hook." Duncan took a brief moment to enjoy the group's spooked faces. "They say the killer's still alive, wandering these very woods. He could be just about anywhere really... Maybe even right HERE!" In a jolt, he flashed upwards a sharp hook. Everyone startled let out a quick scream. Many fled to hide behind DJ's bigger frame, but they walked out when Duncan began to laugh, evilly, but also with a grin plastered on his face. He got himself together as he wheezed, said hook prop now resting on his head.

"Duncan! that was so not funny!" Courtney marched over to him with hands on hip.

"Oh yes it was!" Duncan cackled. "I just wished it was all on camera! Oh wait... it is!" He laughed some more, point two fingers to the camera.

Courtney growled. "You are so vile. Do your parents even like you?" Duncan only kept smirking.

"I don't know jumpy Mc-chicken. I haven't asked them lately." Off into the distance was a sudden wolf howl, dragging on morosely in the empty wind. Courtney flinched with a gasp, unknowingly moving into Duncan's arms. He looked down, surprised, but pleasantly smug. Cody gave a thumbs up over to him, while Scott just blew a raspberry.

...

"... and then BAM! One shot was all it took to fell the great beast!" Owen told ecstatically. His story had been more forgiving than Duncan's. "We too his blood and marked ourselves to honor him. It was a good death." He finished somberly.

"Yeah right." Heather was quick to burst his bubble. "There's no way you took down a ten-foot bear."

"I dunno Heather... his farts are pretty lethal." Noah rebutted. Some bushes nearby had suddenly begun to rustle. It was loud and everybody turned to it. Owen stood up with a chest puff, and strolled on over.

"Heheh, hey look! Maybe it's a deer or something? Man what a feast!"

"No! Don't kill Bambi!" Kitty cried, angling her phone nevertheless.

But what rose out from the bushes wasn't Bambi. It was covered in matted fur, had a grumbling growl, and it rose up way above Owen. His eyes popped open; he jumped a foot high before shrieking, "GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA." He let out a loud scream, everybody instantly getting up in alarm. The whole group slowly backed away from the bear, hearts pumping. The camera zoomed in on Cameron's pants, which were now wet.

"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" Owen hysterically ran around in circles. "WE'RE GONNA GET EATEN ALIVE BY A BEAR. OH THE HORROR- SOMEBODY HELP, I WANT MY MOMMY-" absolutely fed up, Heather stuck a foot out, tripping Owen into a flight to the bushes. As the bear sounded another grunt, Heather cried out,

"The trees! Climb into the trees!"

Everyone began to scramble up the nearest tree. Cameron grasped the bark, but quickly retracted it.

"Ow! Splinters!" Cameron stared at his punctured hands, afraid to touch it again. Mike hurried behind him.

"Come on Cam, you got to hurry! Here, lemme help." Mike hoisted Cameron's light frame upwards, and with a heavy grunt, he managed to throw him up high enough onto a small branch.

"W-whao! Thanks Mike." Cameron called down. Mike made up there with him too. Zoey followed, but her foot snagged onto a flimsy cut of thick bark. It broke off in a crack and Zoey desperately grabbed onto the branch with one hand, dangling in the air.

"Ack! Oh no!" Zoey yelped as her hold loosened. Slipping, she nearly fell, and she would've if it weren't for Mike reflexively clasping her wrist, pulling her up. Zoey threw her arms over the branch, looking up to Mike - whose face was a mere inch away from her's.

"Mike! Thank you."

"Anytime." They shared a small moment before smiling and settling themselves on the branch. Everybody else managed to get on up without much hassle.

Noah cleared his throat, voice not in the least bit shaken up. "Well, what now?"

"Don't look at me." Heather replied.

"It was your idea to climb the trees toothpick." Anne Maria harrumphed.

"Well why don't you ask the bear hunting expert?" Heather refuted. "Hey Owen! What now?" She arched her eyebrows in anticipation of a response. Owen was further up, hugging the trunk.

"How should I know?!"

"Dude." Leshawna shook her ponytail. "You said you killed a bear."

"I was being theatrical!" Owen cried out.

"This is all your fault!" Heather yelled at him. "If you hadn't been growling like that - we never would've attracted him to our site!"

"Excuse me for LIVING. Aauuugghh." Owen agonizingly bellowed. He knocked his head against the tree a few times.

"Hey, hey! Ease up on the guy." Kitty called out in his defense. "I mean, he did bring us all that fish." The very same fish was now being carefully inspected and sniffed by the bear. Heather caught sight of this and shouted at the bear.

"HEY! LAY OFF OUR FISH!"

Anne Maria joined in. "Get outta here you wild discount wig!" She sprayed her can in the direction of the bear, to no avail. As Kitty took a selfie with the bear from afar, there was a strange creaking noise. It was below Leshawna. She looked down in fright as the cracks below began to form and move. Without warning, the branch broke off, Leshawna screaming as she slammed down on the bushes.

She warily got back up and opened her eyes. Her eyes were reflected in the all black eyes of the bear, its snout growling close to her. Everybody gasped above.

"Dear Abby - she's going to DIE!" Owen wailed.

Leshawna scooched backwards messily, until her back hit flat against the tree. "H-heh, nice bear?" She covered herself. "WuAAAUGH! Somebody HELP me!"

Everyone shouted in terror, all their calls drowning out the other. A pregnant pause filled the air in a devastating wait. The bear stood up, and impossibly, smiled.

"Eheh, are you okay?" A muffled voice came. Leshawna glanced in incredulity.

"Uh- did that bear just ask me a question?"

The bear held its head in two paws, and with some effort, shucked the entire head off. It was a mascot suit, hiding a grinning Izzy inside. Owen instantly slid down.

"Oh my goodness I did NOT see that coming!" Owen said.

"Okay, I'm so confused right now?" Lindsay queried.

"What are you, some sort of maniac?" Emma shouted down. "You nearly gave us all a heart attack!"

"I thought it would be funny! Ehehaha!"

*static*

Izzy: Okay, okay that was SO funny like- 'Oh, oh no the bear' and then like- Izzy, still in the costume began to do gestures left and right, imitating the Gophers - 'We're all going to die now, help! Help!' Ahahahahaha!

*static*

"Go back to your own team Izzy." Emma ordered.

"Aww, but I want some fish!" Izzy giggled, bear head resting on her hand.

"If we give you some of our fish, will you leave now?" Emma bargained. Izzy sighed dramatically.

"Alright, alright yeesh." Izzy trotted on over to the roasting fish, and swallowed one whole without so much as chewing.

"That was sick." Kitty deadpanned. Izzy flashed her sharp teeth before waving away.

"Rocking the fish sticks! Ehehee! Bye-bye!"

Heather grumbled after her. "And good riddance!"

...

On Izzy's way back, she encountered a large rock in her way. She was busy humming something and looking at the dark shadows around her to notice.

"Oof!" The belly side of her costume hit against the figure. The large rock began to roll and move. Then it grew vertically, into a-

"Whoa! That bear costume is really good. I mean- I thought mine was good, but this one is like really good." The bear sniffed at Izzy's costume for a bit, emitting a rumbling snarl.

Izzy momentarily slowed. "Huh, that sounded pretty real." The bear arose again, this time full blown roaring into her face. Izzy's orange locks wildly blew in the hot air as she stared down the chasm of teeth. "Huh." She smiled. "Guess you are a real bear."

"AAAHH!" Izzy ran, or waddled, in her suit back to her campsite.

...

Back inside the tent of the Killer Bass, everybody fit inside nicely. Maybe it had to do with the fact that one person (not counting Izzy) was missing. Gwen surged forward. DJ propped his hands and leaned up too.

"What's wrong? Gotta go pee?" DJ asked.

"No..." Gwen looked around. "It's nothing."

"Come on man."

"Look, I just noticed Trent was missing okay? Thought he was here just a second ago... not that it matters or anything." She grumbled.

"I think he told me he was going to hang outside for a while."

Gwen looked back and fro between the opening of the tent and the rest of the campers.

"Hey." DJ whispered. "It's alright, everybody else is asleep. You can leave and hang out with him if ya want."

"DJ, I-"

"Look, he doesn't care about that whole thing with Heather." DJ stared her down. "Fact, he told me today that he just wants to speak with you again." Gwen squirmed, uncomfortable.

"He... did?"

"Yes, now go on Gwen. You got nothing to lose." DJ gave a comforting grin. "Shoo." Gwen's resolve broke and she breathed a smirk. She murmured a thanks before getting up to leave. DJ gave Bunny a high-five.

Gwen walked out and spotted Trent sitting on a broad, flat boulder. His back was turned to her, facing the moon and stars. Gwen slowly walked up to him, hand hesitating to poke him. Shaking, she put her hand down and turned to go back.

"I know you're there." Trent sighed. Gwen's eyes widened. Welp, no going back now. She carefully climbed the boulder as sat down next to him, with a respectable distance between them.

"Hey..." Gwen said in a scratchy voice. "I didn't mean to brush you off or anything. Well, I did, but.." Before the silence could descend into awkwardness, Trent replied,

"No no, it's okay. You just needed some time to recover is all." Trent nodded. "Don't worry about it."

There's a comfortable silence now, filled with crickets and swishing leaves, and Gwen spoke up, "Look, how about we just... go back to normal? So friends or whatever the heck we were before?" Gwen suggested with a wince, expecting the worst. Trent brightened up.

"Sure, whatever you want." He said, chill as always. "I just want you to know that you're cool and there's nothing that'll change my mind about that."

"Really? Not even me liking The Dusk?" Gwen grinned with a challenge.

"Oh my god, of all the movies, The Dusk?" Trent barked. They both laughed, immensely more at ease than before. They even might have started to unconsciously lean in towards each other, definitely being a bit closer than before. They might've even come close to the typical, swirly mood of a teenager type kiss... but they didn't. Because in came-

"AAAAUUUGGGGHHAHAHAH!" Izzy barged in through the woods, tumbling blindly. At some point, she must've lost the bear because she came in alone and with nobody chasing after her - even though that's exactly what it looked like. Trent and Gwen both gasp at the interruption and leap out of the way as Izzy runs around the fire pit. Izzy's foot got caught on one of the smoldering rocks near the fire and it was kicked up high into the air. It may have been a relatively small rock, but it was glowing, fiery, and it left behind a streak of golden past it.

It hit the bottom of the tent where everybody else was sleeping, and in an instant the tent went up in flames, damn near combusting, and just as quickly as it came the incredibly radiant fire engulfing the tent had gone away in a flash. And so had the tent.

Wide awake now, everybody turned to Izzy, the main suspect because a.) she was missing for a while and b.) she was in a bear outfit.

After a long tale of analogies and hysterics, Izzy told the full story, efficiently and fully pissing Courtney off.

"Great. That's just great Izzy. Ugh!" Courtney yelled. "Now we have nowhere to SLEEP!"

"Yo." Duncan held his hands up. "Drama queen, relax. It's cool."

"Cool? It's COOL?" She jutted her chin at him. "Things cannot possibly get worse!" Drip. Duncan looked up at where a sudden water drop had fell from the sky and landed on Courtney's hair. They hold their breath.. until the shower of rain came pouring down. Duncan simpered. Courtney screamed.

Lightning makes the entire forest bright for a millisecond. The Screaming Gophers are startled by the sudden storm, but they're dry. The Killer Bass, on the other hand, were all huddled near DJ as he held up a palm leave high and over them.

It was a long night, but the march of time pushed forward. Hence, morning came. Cheery whistles of songbirds replaced that of clicking owls. The sun hung over the island. A shriek entered, because of course.

"A RACCOON!" Lindsay screamed, forcing everyone alive and running. Heather gasped.

"It's shredded the map!" The raccoon perked, then scampered off into the trees. "Ugh! I wake up with a crick in my back and now this?!" A bird fluttered down gently during her tangent and began to chirp. "Shut up!" The bird fell off.

...

First thing we see on the Killer Bass side is Courtney snuggled up on top of Duncan. This is how we start.

Courtney nestled herself, somehow, against Duncan's chest, starting to wake up. Duncan opened an eyelid at the movement, beyond pleased.

"Morning sunshine." She snapped eyes open and gasped.

"Oh my gosh! Ew." She made a fuss of getting up and scrubbing herself off any "Duncan". "YOU were cuddling me!" She accused.

Duncan smirked. "I was calmly lying on my back trying to catch a few Zs. YOU were snuggling up to me."

"You are such an ogre." Courtney scoured.

"I've been called worse." He kicked back to sleep, arms resting behind his head. Courtney stormed off with a "Ugh!".

*static*

Courtney: Okay, I just want to say for the record that I was totally asleep and therefore unconscious at the alleged 'cuddling' with said neanderthal. So essentially it's like it never happened. She crossed her arms, happy with her response.

*static*

...

Chris was tending to the main empty bonfire back at the pit where everyone was supposed to meet. He turned and stepped aside at sight of the sprinting Killer Bass running in. Courtney gasped,

"We're the first ones back!" She cheered. Not too long after, the Screaming Gophers came running. Heather led in first.

"Oh no! they beat us here!" Heather panted and yelled in frustration. "Stupid raccoon!"

"Ah-ah-ah, not so fast gopherinos!" Chris tutted, finger waggling. "It seems that the Killer Bass are missing some fish!" And indeed they were. Izzy was nowhere to be found. Now where could she be?

...

"Uh guys? Hello?" Izzy called out from her bear suit. The head was back on, but this time it was glued shut by some strange, sticky sap. The eye holes were covered and taped as well, leaving a poor Izzy blind and wandering. "Come on guys, I was only kidding about the whole 'I'll eat you' thing! Jeez.. need to learn how to take a joke."

...

Scott looked all too innocent in the picture. He snickered. Courtney quickly replied,

"Oh you mean Izzy? Yeah, I'm pretty sure she got eaten by wolves last night."

"Darn shame." Duncan nodded in artificial somber.

*static*

Scott: Who needs some fancy shmnacy glue when you can make a hand-homemade glob of perfectly good tree spit? He sighs happily. All according to plan, hehehe. Only shame is this time I can't manipulert anybody into voting anyone out this time. It's pretty obvious that Izzy's going to be a goner. But hey? One step closer to the dough, haha!

*static*

Quick breaths of pants heard from the distance soon became loud. Izzy sprinted in, her head somehow burst through the bear's mask.

"Woohoo! I made it!" Izzy cackled. "You guys won't believe what just happened, apparently, I was blinded this morning and I couldn't see anything. Except for the color black of course. But then I heard this growl or something and I- haha- just booked it! It was so scary and so hilarious. And when I bumped into a tree, I got my sight back!" The rest had stood still at her rant. Courtney sashayed up, smiling.

"Are you finished with your story?" Izzy nodded. "Because thanks to you we just LOST the CHALLENGE!" Her sickly sweet grin turned lemon sour in an instant. Izzy's face remained the same acorn grin, which only seemed to infuriate Courtney more. "First you burn up the tent, then you cost us the race?" She fumed. Leshawna chuckled,

"Whoa, she managed to squeeze in tent-burning last night too? Hahaa damn!"

"Alright Killer Bass!" Chris shouted over. "One of your fishy butts is going home!" He turned to the other waiting team. "Gophers! You're going on an all expense paid trip to... the tuckshop!" They all literally bounced in sync.

"Ya- woohoo!" Was their general quip before they all bounded towards it, out the camp pit. The team left behind however, gasped and immediately scowled at Izzy, who just nervously shifted.

"What?" Scott could barely keep his snigger in.

...

Relaxing in a hot tub, the Gophers partied with a new stash of chips, empty containers already littering the floor.

"Oh my gosh this is so good!" Owen was overjoyed, mouth stuffed with crackers. "I never thought chips could taste so good! I think I'm gonna be sick." And just like that, Owen hurled over the tub. Heather was next to him.

"That's so incredibly gross." Owen flipped back.

"Oh that's better." He raised his fists. "Woo! The Screaming Gophers rule!"

Kitty chatted with Zoey, despite Emma's complaints with keeping the "eye on the prize".

"So! What do ya think of the guys here?" Kitty happily sipped a soda, eager for Zoey's response.

"Oh! Me? Um... they're all pretty nice." She nervously laughed.

"Yeah, yeah- but I mean, is there any one here that's nice nice?"

Zoey's eyes betrayed her, quickly flicked over to Mike and Cameron sitting by the porch. They both had declined to enter the water. "Well... I guess there IS someone in particular." Kitty squeed. "But I'm not telling!"

Kitty snorted, deciding to humor Zoey for now. "Aww alright then. Keep your little secret, but I swear I'll find it out one day!" They laughed.

*static*

Zoey: Wow! Kitty so nice! A lot of the people here are nice. She smiles, rubbing her arm. W-well, almost all, but hey- we all can't be an angel right? Anyways, I'm just really happy I got to make some new friends. Even if the show itself is a bit odd..

*static*

...

In a time saving transition, the island was once again basked in the night. The fire pit could be seen with the familiar glow from afar.

"You've all cast your votes." Chris announced. "The camper who does not receive a marshmallow mush immediately hit the dock of shame, grab the boat of losers, and get the heck outta here!" He looked noticeably perturbed. "And you can't come back. Ever." The team looked dead inside.

"Now, I can see you're all tired so tonight I'll just throw them to you." Chris grinned, chucking out his first marshmallow to Courtney. She smiled, taking it. But it disappeared when Duncan caught his too.

"Courtney, Duncan, DJ, Tyler, Scott, Harold, Trent, Gwen... and what a surprise." Chris rolled his eyes. "The one headed for the boat of loser is- hey! Where did Izzy go?" They all looked around and murmured.

"She's gone again? Ugh, it's like she can teleport." Courtney huffed, clearly done with Izzy's antics.

Slowly stalking up behind Chris however...

"BOOWAAAH!" Chris flinched at the bellow right behind him, but he quickly smooths his shirt into playing it off. Izzy, still as a bear, stood behind him laughing.

"*ahem* right. Izzy, you're out."

"Yeah. yeah I know. I just was talking with the others. Did you know Owen can whistle the Canadian anthem through his nose?"

"Mmhm, sure. Now get on out of here!" Chris waved his hands, and as did all the other teammates. Courtney especially did so without any remorse. Izzy sighed.

"Fine, fine. But watch out! The slippery Izzy-" She pauses. "-will RETURN! Ahaha!" She hopped on over to the boat and sailed off, her jittery figure still jumping in the distance.

"Well, the cuckoo's gone now." Gwen tittered, still slightly upset at how she interrupted her and Trent last night. They grinned at each other.

...

Sitting on the front steps of the cabin was Courtney, swatting at the swarm of gnats and flies at the door. Duncan walked over to her and sat down, obnoxiously close to her. She scoffs.

"What do you want now?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I scared you." Duncan looked to her, least of anything abashed.

"I was NOT scared." Courtney clarified. "It was completely circumstantial. And there's no such thing as a hook man."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He leaned back. "Or ARE YOU?" Duncan flashed a crazed smile, holding up the same hook as before. Courtney let out a shout before she could realize it. She held her mouth, then she gave a sound of pure frustration. The night and day had been taxing. She defiantly stood up, tight as a line, and she stomped off. "I hate you!" She shut the door.

"She so doesn't hate me." Duncan jeered, shoving his arms behind his back, too late to remember that the hook was still on. "Ow!"

Chris's voice came on over.

"Hehe, couple of lovey dovey shenanigans going on. Some disgusting-" The camera flipped over to a doe-eyed Noah, inadvertently looking at Emma steal a few glances at him, though not letting up. Gwen and Trent sitting together on the edge of the dock, swinging their feet. And then the most obvious "couple" being Mike and Zoey, talking to each other.

"-though I think I like this one the best." Courtney screams in irritation.

"There's more hate to it, ehehe. Tune in next time for another episode of Total. Drama. Camp!"


	6. Phobia Factor

Chapter 6 - Phobia Factor

The Killer Bass retreated to the pit again, shortly after Izzy got ceremoniously kicked out. They sat around the still going fire crackling brightly and though most were downtrodden, not all were. Trent and Gwen were aside from the people who sulked; jostling each other. Gwen was happy to return back to where she and Trent were before, without any of the dreaded awkward air Heather had tried to inflict on them. Heather. Gwen's smile darkened. It was great to get back at her with the red ant farm, but she still wanted more.

The team looked up ahead to the multitude of footsteps. It was the Screaming Gophers, faces flushed with intoxicating chips and from celebration. Courtney stood up,

"What do you guys want. Come by to rub it in?" At the front of the group was Kitty with a plate of jello and gummy worms suspended inside.

"We got some extra dessert after our tuck shop party!" She shook the jiggly sweets. "Thought you might want some!"

"So what, you're just being nice." Courtney said, voice dipping at the last word as if she couldn't comprehend the notion.

"If a confession's what you want, Owen stank up our cabin and we need some time to air out." Noah sadly pointed over to the bloated guy, who had just squeaked out another out. Emma wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Ew.. ugh it's like he's constantly full of gas." She waved the air.

Owen chuckled, "Well-" Beth took the plate of green jello and walked on over to Courtney and offered it to her. Courtney violently flinched and shrieked a "NO!" before regaining some composure.

"I mean, no thanks, I'm good." She heftly smiled.

"What're you on a diet or something?" Duncan asked, questioning her sudden outburst.

"No!" She made a face and crossed her arms tightly. "I just don't like green jelly okay?"

Beth tried another time to DJ and Duncan, but DJ let up one other outburst for the night and flipped the dish out of Beth's hands with a shrill, "SNAAKE!" It fell with a squish onto the dirt, the little gummy worm sticking its head out the mushy treat.

Cody bent over, grabbed the candy with his fingers and pulled it out. "Chill dude, it's just a gummy worm."

"Sorry for tripping." DJ apologized with a not-so-stable voice. "Snakes just freak me OUT." Tyler patted his back.

"I feel you, chickens give me the creeps dude."

"You're afraid of chickens?" Gwen astoundingly asked. Scott just looked sad beyond a point and Duncan laughed.

"Wow that's.. that's really lame man."

*static*

Gwen: So suddenly everyone's having this big share-fest by the fire. Gwen recalled, chin on hand. Like Beth went on and on bout how her mortal fear is being covered by bugs. Harold's afraid of ninjas- She shrugged with a perplexed expression- even Heather admitted she's afraid of sumo wrestlers!

*static*

"What's my worst fear?" Gwen repeated the question. "I guess... being buried alive." Lindsay was next to her.

"Walking through a minefield." She conjured up. "In heels."

"Flying man, that's some crazy stuff." Owen closed his eyes, shuddering.

Anne Maria sniffed, "Mm, bad haircuts. Now there's a hell."

"O-oh okay! I change mine." Lindsay interjected. "That's soo much scarier than a minefield!"

Scott, who was next after Anne Maria, reluctantly sighed. "The ocean. It's dark, huge, and just full of slimy critters. Eugh! It's not anything like on the farm."

Cody tapped his chin. "Having to defuse a time bomb under pressure."

"Being stuck in the sewage." A shiver went up Cameron's spine as he tried to shake off even the thought. "That would be a nightmare."

"Hmm... probably being alone forever?" Zoey rubbed her neck. "How about you Mike?"

"Oh! U-um ah..." He ran his hand through his voluminous hair several times. "I dunno... j-just being alone too?" Under a probing eye, one could have told that he was just lying on the spot, but this is Zoey we're talking about. She sweetly grinned at him.

"Well, I guess we should stick together then huh?" Looking over her sweet suggestion, the group moved on.

"For sure, spiders. Nuh-uh, keep me away from that nonsense." Leshawna cocked her neck.

"Omg, if anybody ever deleted anything off my phone, I would die." Kitty gasped.

"I can't think of anything I'd necessarily care enough about to be afraid." Noah drawled. "But I'll name one thing I hate: physical activity."

"Seriously?" Emma jested.

"It was that or idiots. What can I say, I hated P.E." Noah shrugged before asking, "What about you."

"Er.. nothing in particular." She looked away. Kitty shook her arm.

"Aw come on Emma! What about your abnormal fear of reje-" Emma slapped her hand on Kitty's mouth.

"Re-REELING in uh, sharks from the ocean!" Emma coughed. "Yeah, that's it."

"I'm not really afraid of anything." Courtney smiled, closing her eyes.

Duncan coughed, "Baloney." She whipped her head to him.

"Oh really. Well, what exactly is YOUR phobia Mr. Know-It-All." She challenged. Duncan widened his eyes, looking around. All the contestants looking intrigued as to what the bad boy fear would be. He caved in under all of their stares and mumbled,

"C-Celine Dion music store standees." Cody guffawed.

"Exsqueeze me? I didn't quite get that."

"Dude, did you say Celine Dion music store standees?" Trent confirmed with amusement as Duncan just covered his face from the mention of it. Lindsay fangirled,

"Ooh I love Celine Dion! ... what's a standee?" She asked.

"You know, that cardboard cut-out thing that stands in the music store." Trent answered.

"Don't say it dude!" Duncan whispered loudly.

"Kind of like a life sized but flat Celine." Trent continued. Beyond entertained, Courtney took a jab,

"So if we had a cardboard standee right NOW..." She smiled.

"Shut up!" Duncan covered his ears. "What about YOU guys." He pointed to Trent, pulling attention away from him.

"OK well, I hate mimes. Like a lot." Trent answered coolly. Courtney rolled her eyes, ticking him off.

"Alright Courtney, you're afraid of SOMETHING. Spit it out."

"Nope! Nothing."

Duncan breathed a laugh. "Pff, that's not what she said last night." He said to DJ and Tyler, who only silently snickered in response.

"Duncan, did you ever consider that maybe I was just humoring you and your stupid story?" She crossed her arms.

"Sure, sure princess. Whatever floats your boat."

"Shut up!"

...

After the share-fest died down, the campers head back to their according cabins to bed. The night rolled into a dry, sunny morning. Chris whistled loudly with his fingers to the attentive contestants now seated in the mess hall.

"Campers!" He called with a strong voice. The rest listened with their untouched gruel sitting in front of them. "Your next challenge is a little game I like to call... Phobia Factor! Prepare to face your worst fear!" Leshawna raised her fork, stabbed into something hard, something grey, and something that tasted suspiciously close to rags.

"Worse than this?" She asked incredulously, tongue sticking out. Sitting next to her, Kitty took one look at the substance.

"We're in trouble."

"Now for our first victims..." Chris tidily flashed out a card and read it. He oddly stood next to the open doors. "Heather! Meet us all in the theater."

Heather didn't seem too worried, sipping a mug of orange juice.

"Itttt's SUMO TIME!" She choked and spit out the juice in a stream of orange. Anne Maria was unfortunate to sit right across from her. Her eyes went from wide open, to thin glares. She was in mid-action of spraying her hair some more before getting interrupted, and she clenched the hairspray until it cracked.

Chris continued and pulled out another random card. "Gwen. You, me, the beach.. A few tons of sand?" Gwen gasped. Lindsay raised her hand,

"Wait, how did they know those are your worst fears?" Gwen face palmed herself.

"Ugh! Because we told them?" Lindsay and Beth both stood still, looking at each other. Gwen put her head on between her arms. Trent patted her back and clarified,

"At the campfire last night."

...

'What's my worst fear?" Gwen repeated the question. "I guess... being buried alive."'

...

"Wait." Lindsay stood up. "They were listening to us?"

"It's a reality show Einstein." Gwen spoke from behind the threads of her dyed hair. "They're always listening to us."

Getting the point, Lindsay felt violated in a way and exclaimed, "That's like eavesdropping!"

"Chef Hatchet!" Chris called. "Didn't you have a special order for Tyler today?" Chef Hatchet's head poked out from the kitchen window as he stuck a net cage fresh out the oil, and into Tyler's apprehensive face. Inside of it was a chicken-shaped fry of something.

...

'I feel you, chickens give me the creeps dude.'

...

Tyler grabbed it, gulping, but bringing it close to his mouth and held it there for a moment.

He took a chomp out of the head and munched it warily. But then out of the hole he made, an actual chicken popped its head out of the bread encasing and gave a squack.

"WhuuUAAAAGH!"

...

Soon enough, everybody was standing outside, ready to go through the team one by one. Watching the atrocious large tubs full of worms in front of them, everyone looked rightfully squeamish. DJ averted his face to hurl, and Owen slowly fell over in a faint, pale composure.

Beth stood in the front of this line, staring the squirming worms down. She took a visible gulp, then with a determined face hopped over the tub and splashed into the giant mass of worms.

After a moment of being completely submerged in the pile, she popped her head out victorious despite the few worms tangles in her hair and her braces. The Screaming Gophers screamed in cheer as they scored one point.

"And Beth sets the bar WAY up there." Chris narrated.

In a flash, it was Lindsay and Anne Maria's turn. Chris held two terribly cut, mud brown wigs right above their scalps. Lindsay was easy to put on, but Chris REALLY had to stretch it out to cover Anne Maria's impenetrable hair. It snapped close with a metallic twing, and the two looked at each other in unease.

Anne Maria struggled with getting comfortable, but then screamed in frustration as she finally tore the wig off.

"Do you realize how damaging this is to my do?" Anne Maria pointed at her now messed up hair. "Unacceptable. Not doing this, nuh-uh."

Lindsay scratched her chin, before standing up. "Oh- if she won't do it, then I won't either!" Everybody groaned. Lindsey slipped it off and gave Anne Maria a high-five. "

"Come on sugar, and I'll get you a REAL makeover." They both walked out, leaving Heather gawking at Lindsey with anger slipped eyes.

*static*

Heather: Are you kidding me? Ugh! She slapped herself. Lindsey's LUCKY she's in this alliance, otherwise I would've gotten everybody to vote her off... Hm... that Anne Maria girl is getting a bit too close to her. She better not steal away MY dumb minion, or ELSE.

*static*

...

Kitty was tied to a chair in a desolate cafeteria. The chef held up her phone menacingly. Holding down on one of the many apps seen, the option came up to delete it. Kitty gasped.

"NOOOOO!" She yelled, as Chef brought his finger dangerously close to the button. "I YIELD! I YIELD!" The dramatic lighting soon disappeared, and Chef gave her phone back. Chris shook his head while laughing.

"Seriously Kitty?"

"NEVER." Kitty tucked the phone into her pocket and stuck her face up at Chris's. "DO that again!" Before Kitty ran off, still terrified that Chef would somehow come up and delete it.

...

Cameron peered down at the drainage. Inside, would lead to the sewers. The disgusting, bacteria lined, wholly contaminating sewers. Cameron plugged his nose, gulping.

"Well? Come on! Just one jump down, and you get the point." Chris snickered. Cameron looked dizzy.

"D-do you even know HOW many different types of viruses and bacteria travel through there?" Cameron shivered. "There's parasitic bacteria, saprophytic, pathogenic, and up to 1 million different microorganisms a-a-and ooohhhh..." Cameron wavered around before falling faint onto the ground. Chris groaned with a snap.

"Damn! He should've fainted forward."

...

Next up was Owen, standing in front of the most rickety run down helicopter you'd have ever seen. Chef, dressed in a flight attendant uniform that was all together not very flattering on him, opened the door with a squeak. Owen gasped in horror, though at what was unclear.

The engine sputtered to a roll, the blades gaining enough momentum to hoist the plane up. The ride was extensively wobbly, one of the wings seeming to be held together with... duct tape? Owen's muffled screams from inside the plane could be heard as he saw the makeshift wing, the helicopter doing spins and dips in the air.

So on and on it went, with some successes and some failures. Harold, who had been respectfully reading his action comic book on the toilet had been predictably ambushed by ninjas. He walked out the stall, pants still undone and down, to meet a myriad of dark-cloth covered ninjas. He seemed amazingly unfazed as he pulled out (from where? only God knows) a pair of nunchucks from behind. He promptly began to spin them into a weave of complex defensive stances, making the ninjas lean back. However, he switched the pair from hand to hand so fast it began to look like a matter of nunchucks flying everywhere, and finally one went out of line and bonked him on the head hard. Twitching, he fell backwards, headfirst into the toilet behind him.

...

Leshawna fared worse, stepping bit by bit away from the oncoming terror, before bursting out into a plethora of screams. Coming after her? Chef in a crudely sewn spider costume. Not the Screaming Gopher's best. By watch, Heather slapped her head, but now it was her turn. In quick cuts, the teams assembled in front of the stage where a large sumo wrestler awaited Heather. She stood rigidly at the far right, trembling.

With a long roar, the giant man began to run towards Heather, arms up and fingers splayed. Heather got down into a shaky ball and covered her head, which in surprise had benefited her, as the wrestler tripped over the tiny figure and bounced off the stage and into the forest.

"Heather stepped up to the planks, scoring the Gophers their second point on the board!" Chris announced. Simultaneously, the plane with a terrified Owen inside, flew overhead upside down. One of the bumpers had fallen off.

...

A new set up on the stage consisted of a petrified DJ looking over to a small terrarium with a baby snake in it. For once being supportive, Duncan clapped loudly from the bleachers.

"Ey, you can do this buddy!" DJ stood dead still, holding a stare with the adorable little snake. After a long tense silence, the snake blinked, and DJ screeched whilst scrambling back.

"EEEP! It blinked!"

"It means she likes you DJ!" Cody called over.

Courtney rubbed her face. "It's the smallest snake ever DJ, come on!"

"Yeah but it's slimy and scaly." DJ shivered. "And slithery-"

"We need this point DJ!" Courtney stood up. "SUCK IT UP!" She yelled, making him flinch. All the boys congregated behind her shook their head slowly. She turned around annoyed. "What? We're heading back to Loserville people."

DJ took in a deep breath and bent over to the snake. Clenching his eyes shut, he held out a single quivering finger. After a long pause, he opened his eyes again, surprised to see the snake happily on his hand. He brought it closer to him with a pleasantly surprised smile. DING! That was one point for the Killer Bass.

The crowd acclaimed DJ and whooped. Courtney smugly smiled. "See? Fear is only in the mind."

...

"Cody! Your turn." Chris smiled. Cody stood beside a couple of trashcans woven together with red and green wires, tying itself into a beeping alarm clock. Cody pulled his face, already feeling the pressure.

"Alright Cody, this garbage bomb is going off at exactly ten minutes. Everything you need to know to defuse it, is on these schematic blueprints." He handed over a blue scroll over to him that had labyrinthine white writings on it.

"What?! No way, I can't do this!" Cody gulped.

"Then, hehe, I suggest you find a safe place to hide brah." Chris chuckled. "Later dude."

"Wait! You're not gonna watch?"

"No way. That's a live bomb dude!" He shouted before quickly speeding away.

...

In a different scene, Mike and Zoey were both at opposite ends of the island. They would have to stay alone in the woods for six hours. Keeping an eye on both, one seemed to be more scared than the other. Chris, boredly watched Mike nestle down on a long boulder and nap, before turning his attention to Zoey. She was sitting on a log, hands clasped with knees together.

"This isn't so bad. I'm just in the forest... left alone... for six hours." She idly hummed to distract herself. A tiny amber-colored chipmunk poked his head out the log and suddenly scampered in front of Zoey. Beyond startled, she instinctively kicked out with a shriek, the chipmunk throttling through the sky. It landed into the waters, where a nearby Chris was shoveling on sand onto a clear glass box with Gwen in it. She looked down horrified as the top began to get covered. Trent walked out of the watching Killer Bass and bent over on a knee to get closer to Gwen.

"There's enough air for an hour." He reassured, speaking into the small slit open on the box. "You only need to do five minutes."

"As long as we decide to dig you up." Chris threw in with a lax smile.

"Not funny Chris!" Gwen gripped against the glass, hands pressed against where Trent had laid his.

"Sheesh. Take a pill."

Trent turned to the frenzied Gwen. "I'll be listening the whole time." He slid in a walkie talkie and Gwen grabbed it with a calmer smile. "Just yell for me if you panic and I'll dig you right up!"

"Good bye cruel world." Her smile then slowly faded as Trent closed up the only opening in the box. A dump of sand covered her face.

...

Across the beach was Scott in a differently shaped glass container. He looked down at his feet with fearful eyes, sweating furiously. It was planted firmly on the clear floor, but it sure didn't look that way to him. The box was held up by a claw machine manhandled by Chef, and Scott yelped as the box began its descent into the deep blue sea.

"I'm gonna kill ya Chris!" He shrieked, hands grasping at the smooth walls. Chris was walking down the shore with his hands behind his back.

"Hey, at least you're going in during the day!" He laughed. Scott screamed until the box finally was fully submerged into the water. Under the surface, the box was seen being lowered more and more until it hit the bottom of the ocean. He looked around shaking before deciding to look up. He slowly calmed down, seeing how the sunlight shone in ray through the water.

"Huh... um, I guess this isn't SO bad." He grumbled, taking in the water around him. A dark shadow whipped by him, making him jump. "W-what was that?!" He stood still with a whine, still oblivious to the giant white shark right behind him. It smiled.

...

Shooting back up to where Chris strolled on over to where Emma was sitting. She had a large fishing pole in her hands, and she edged out over on the dock. She looked exceptionally bored. Chris yawned,

"Something tells me this isn't your worst fear." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Well, it's too late for that now isn't it? And how long do I have to stay here?" She frowned, staring straight ahead.

"However long it takes for a shark to come." Chris shrugged.

"Are you serious? What are the likelihood of me catching and reeling in a flipping shark?" Emma waved one arm around in disbelief.

"Hehe, believe it or not, it's not that low." He said ominously before shrugging off to draw another card. Emma groaned loudly, falling backwards. Miraculously, the rod began to reel. She gasped, lurching forward and grabbing it with two hands. Chris perked up as well, rubbing his hands together. "Ooh here goes."

"What the-" She stood up and went back and forth on a battle between her and whatever was stupid enough to bite. She grunted, a few drops of sweat fell before she finally lifted up the catch with near super strength. She opened her eyes and saw a hysterical Scott looking at her in shock. He was still inside the box, but half the box had been swallowed by the shark. The hook had caught on one of the larger fangs of the shark somehow, bringing the shark meant for Scott to her. The glass cracked a little, making Scott shout.

"Well what're you waitin for? Get me OUT OF HERE!"

"Tut-tut." Chris walked up to the entrapped Scott. "You still have one more minute to go. Emma? You're done with the challenge. Another point to the Screaming Gophers!"

"Huh." Emma smiled, cocking her eyebrow. "Alright then." She let go of the fishing rod with both hands up, and began to walk on over back to the cabins. Scott yelled,

"Whoawhoawhoa WAIT!" Both the shark and the box splashed down. Chris began to laugh with his hand on head, but immediately stopped soon as he heard the sound of shattering glass from below. He sighed,

"OK Chef, reel him outta there." He ordered with a twirl of his finger. Chef pushed forward a lever in the tractor, and the long claw went down into the water. After a few seconds, it dragged up a gasping Scott. He shook his hair, catching his breath.

"Was that *gasp* five minutes?" Chris looked chipper.

"Yep! It was 5.03. Pretty close cut Scotty." He snorted. Another ding, another point for the Killer Bass.

"Wow, seriously?" Scott hung his head tiredly.

"Yep." Chris let some more laughs escape him. "Seems like that shark really has it in for ya. Maybe if you give back his tooth, he'll leave you be." Scott's eyes widened.

"Th-that was the SAME shark from before? No WAY!"

"Yes way! We really should name him, huh?" Chris sneered. Scott glared at him.

"Oh yeah? Well how about Chr-"

"Fang? Mmm..." McLain snapped his fingers. "I like it! Chef, put him down."

"Wait don't put me back in the sea-!" Chef, instead, swung the arm of the claw left and right, swinging him around back to the island and letting go. He flew across the sky before landing in some of the nearby pine trees.

"Ouch." Chris winked. "Oh, speaking of five minutes, it seems like Gwen's time is done. But where oh where is her precious Trent?" The camera shifted over to recap what had happened so far on the other side of the beach. Apparently, much has transpired.

...

Three minutes in, everything had been peaceful. Trent talked into the communicator. "You still alive in there? Only three more minutes."

"And then you'll dig me up right?" Gwen's slightly hoarse voice asked through the walkie talkie.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He replied. "I promise."

"I need some kind of distraction. Tell me a story!" Inside the coffin-like container, Gwen spoke into the transmitter. "Um.. why do you hate mimes so much?"

Trent stood up with a sigh. "My mom took me to this carnival once when I was four so I could see the elephants. I was stoked." Gwen looked crazily around her, before shutting her eyes and encouraging,

"Yeah?"

"I was so busy watching them that I lost her for a minute. I called out, but when I turned, all I could see was this horrible white face with black lips pretending to be me! I screamed and tried to run, but every time I turned around he was there doing this creepy fake run-and-scream routine." A hand appeared out of nowhere, and tapped him on the shoulder with its gloved fingers. Trent turned his head around, and then threw the mic into the air. It was a mime, daintily pretending to be inside an invisible box.

"AAAUGGGHH!" He booked it over and ran from the mime, and thus, from Gwen. The mime followed him. A voice sputtered from the sand.  
"Trent?"

The scene of Trent running from a mime passed by the two teams. Tyler shouted, "Just ask him to leave you alone bro!" Trent continued to run back and forth until he was back at the beach. He screeched to a halt and panted. The mime did so too, and then struggled to climb over a make believe wall. Trent shouted,

"There's no wall there man! Stop being creepy!" The mime resumed on his "climbing". He hyperventilated, and shot his gaze over to the pier. He sprinted down the sand, then down the wooden boards, and then-

SPLASH! Trent threw himself into the shallow waters and saw that the mime had stayed up there doing his act. "WOO-HOO!" Trent pumped his fist up. "What's the matter mime? Can't swim?" He taunted. The mime, much to his horror, then took in a cheek full of air and posed to jump in as well. He stuttered,

"Stop! U-uh, your make-up will run!" Trent pointed out. The mime realized this, and stood back up sadly with a nod, before walking away. Another point for the Killer Bass! Trent cheered, "Take that you makeup wearing freak!"

Back from the shark escapade, Chris was back on their side of the shore and clapped loudly for Trent. "Nicely played Trent." The mime walked by him slowly, and Chris himself could be found cringing. Trent walked out, his hair dripping with salt water.

"Aw that was awesome." Trent wiped himself off before freezing. "Hey- do you ever feel like you've forgotten something?"

"Sometimes." Chris grinned knowingly. "I usually ignore it and the feeling goes away. Oh wait! Now it's come back to me- I should go over and get Cody. Hehe, he's probably buried in garbage now." Trent gasped, grabbing his hair.

"Bury! Oh CRAP! Gwen!" He shouted before running off.

...

Zoey walked aimlessly around after playing a game of tic-tac-toe on the dirt floor with a twig with herself. The silence was overbearing, and she continuously checked her timer. "It's okay Zoey... there's only.. 3 hours and 45 minutes left to go!" She flinched against her will when she heard a crow mocking squawk out from the distance.

She huffed, "I know you're just trying to freak me out producer people- but it's not going to work!" And then there was an explosion.

...

Back at the beach, Trent and Chris were digging Gwen up. Trent looked up at Chris. "What was that?!"

"If I had to guess, I'd say Cody just blew himself up." Chris smirked, gesturing at the stream of smoke no too far in the distance. To where Cody stood, there was garbage disposal piles everywhere, including one on Cody. It wrapped around him like glue; a half rotten watermelon and banana peel covering his eyes.

"Oops." He wobbly stuttered. He meandered through the junk in heavy trudges. "Is anybody here? Girls?" He headed down the path to the forest. "Ladies? ANYONE?!"

...

After a short amount of time, Trent finally finished digging Gwen's glass coffin out. He threw the shovel aside and sighed in immense relief. "Gwen! You did it." He said with a doped grin. The walkie talkie shot out from the pit and hit Trent's head.

"She's alright! Haha, she's alright." Chris yelled, another point going to the Killer Bass.

On another patch of the island, the rocky helicopter that had been flying this whole time finally set down and rolled into the grassy plains. Owen smashed out of the vehicle with a yell. Wordlessly, he dropped down and began to kiss the ground. While Owen celebrated for still being in one piece, the Killer Bass stood someplace near the mesh hall, waiting in anticipation for Duncan's turn. Everyone, save for Duncan and Courtney, sat down on the front steps of the nearby porch. There was the dreaded cardboard cut out in front of Duncan's terrified face. Courtney stood beside him smiling.

"She's pretty. She's nice." Courtney gently pointed to the spitting image of Celine Dion in a sparkly red dress. It stood very still, unnerving Duncan. Chris walked up behind him and snapped his fingers.

"Just one hug, and you're done." Duncan turned to Courtney with anxious eyes.

"That looks... really real man." He gulped.

Tyler shouted, "Dude, she's made of cardboard. Get in the game!" Duncan looked back and forth, but still seemed hesitant.

"Hey." Duncan turned to Courtney's voice, surprisingly being quieter and encouraging this time. "It's okay if you can't do it." Duncan stared down at the green mascara lined eyes of the standee, letting out a sigh. Making Duncan jump, Courtney took his hand in hers. Startled, Duncan smiled and nodded.

"Right, I'll try." He smiled.

"You can do this." Courtney pushed.

"Ok! Okay." Duncan inhaled. Then, with a burst of energy he sprinted toward the standee with arms open wide. He clasped his arms around the flat figure, eyes shut and arms a little shaky. He even lifted it up off the ground a bit. He let go once the crowd began to cheer. DING! Immediately, he looked to where Courtney was standing. She whooped and, much to his astonishment, she ran over to him and hugged him.

"You're awesome!"

"Hah!" Duncan grinned, sounding a little surprised himself. "I did it!" Courtney hugged him a bit longer, before realizing what the hell she was doing, and she quickly retracted. The rest of the team flooded in celebrate.

*static*

Zoey: Heya! She waved. I'd actually like to thank the producers for making me face my fear. I never liked being alone, but it turns out, it's was alright! There's really nothing to be afraid of.

*static*

Cody zombied his way down the path of the forest, where Zoey spotted him with a shrill scream. She instantly sprinted away from the monstrosity as he wobbled over and tripped into a log. There was a pickle on his eye.

...

"Aaaugh!" Zoey ran for her life, shaken to bits from the terrible, stinky monster she just saw. Slowing down after a while, she stopped to look around. She flipped out her timer.

"*pant* Hey, the timer's almost up! Wow, I guess I've been running for a while..." She looked around the forest, mapping out her way back to the cabins when she heard a soft, snoring sound. "Huh?" Zoey weaved her ways through the trees, following the noise, when she stumbled on,

"Mike!" She gasped with joy. "I can't believe I ran into you! ... uh, Mike?" She peered over to Mike's placid face, napping away on the boulder he was on. His face contorted to various expressions, before settling on one. He gasped, and lurched forward.

"What? Oh! Zoey! What're you doing here?"

"Well, I ran away from this weird forest creature, and found you here!"

"Oh, awesome! Haha." Mike slid off the rock, and cracked his back with a wince. "So! Does that mean the time is up?"

"Around. Come on! Let's head on back to the cabins." Mike nodded and they both walked back together. Occasionally, Zoey's hand would brush up against Mike's, causing him to blush.

"Soo.. what were you doing the entire time in isolation."

"Oh, just napping." Mike shrugged.

"Napping? Really?"

"Yep. It was pretty nice really."

"But, I thought you said being alone was your biggest fear?" Mike widened his eyes.

"U-uh, yeah! I was kind of afraid at first. But I.. guess the challenge really helped me get over it!" Mike shrugged. Zoey eyed him carefully, before laughing.

"That's great! I think it helped me a lot too." Mike visibly sighed.

...

Emma meandered her way through the cabins. On her way, she spotted a distant shadow of some crazy obstacle course. And someone was running through it.

"What challenge is this?" As she walked near, she found out who was meant to take this test. "Noah?" Noah was sitting relaxed on a trampoline, which was supposedly supposed to launch him into the obstacle course.

"Are you done?" Emma asked.

"Nope."

"What? But there's only a few minutes left."

"Yep." Noah got up and stretched. "Look, I tried the course a couple of times to humor Chris. But trust me when I say that this is rigged." He gestured to the spiked tires swinging from a monkey bar above, slippery tar covered slides, and a rock climb. "This is meant for Olympians. Not intellectuals." Emma scoffed, hiding a smile behind her hand.  
"But, I think you'd do pretty good at it."

"What?"

"You're both lawyer smart, AND athletic." He smiled before quickly looking back into the book he was reading. Startled by the sudden, casual compliment, Emma tried to just brush it off.

"Yeah, well.. you should give it one more go." Emma huffed. "Don't just give up, we'll need every point we can get." Noah looked up from his book and sighed, putting it down.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. I'll do it."

"That's it? No snarky remarks? Or resistance?" She asked.

"Why, did you want any?"

"N-no, it's just.. Just go on already." Emma ended. Noah walked toward the trampoline and looked over the course, scaling out the most energy conserving method (or just laziest method) to go about it. Noah spotted something far off, attached to the cabins nearby. It was a hose. Grinning, he ran over, grabbed it with the water on, and came back.

"What are you doing?" Emma pondered outloud.

"You'll see." Noah smiled wider, excited to impress her. The hose turned on, and it shot out a burst of water that washed away all the slippery substance on the slides he would have to climb later. Turning it off, he then swung it back and forth before launching it onto the top of the bars. It tangled itself.

"Here goes." Noah jumped a couple times on the trampoline before shooting up high enough to swing across the complicated bars in one swoop. He let go and landed on the slides, nearly falling. He balances himself, smiling sheepishly, before running over to the last part: the rock climb. He began to up one by one. He didn't bring any convenient cheat with him here, so it took much longer to complete it. But it was a rather straight, unchallenging wall, so he managed to complete it by crawling up the top and sitting on it.

"Yes!" Noah fist pumped. He looked down and spotted Emma waving.

"Woohoo!" She cheered. "See? That wasn't so hard." Noah slid down the rope behind the wall, and met up with her. A brief silence passed them before Emma asked,

"Do you think Chris will count that as cheating?"

"I finished it, didn't I? He never said HOW to."

"Oh, you'd make a good lawyer." She gibed. They walked back together laughing. Kitty popped her head from the bushes behind them, snapping a picture before chuckling. She waved to the cameraman.

...

"Courtney." Chris smiled. "Let's go."

"W-wait what? But I didn't.." Courtney stammered.

"You didn't have to." Chris crossed his arms in mirth. We're always watching you and your reactions."

...

Beth took the plate of green jello and walked on over to Courtney and offered it to her. Courtney violently flinched and shrieked a "NO!" before regaining some composure.

"I mean, no thanks, I'm good." She heftly smiled.

"What're you on a diet or something?" Duncan asked, questioning her sudden outburst.

"No!" She made a face and crossed her arms tightly. "I just don't like green jelly okay?"

...

"But- but, ugh! No!" Courtney racked her head.

"Aw don't worry man, it probably won't be so bad." DJ patted her back.

In a flash, the team was in front of an incredibly tall plank board made of wood. It loomed over another prodigious tub full of green jelly. It was being mixed by Chef. Courtney looked up, eyes filled with dread. Duncan breathed a small laugh of amusement.

"You're afraid of jelly?"

"Shut up!" Courtney turned to him. "Only - the green kind! It's like sugary, jiggly snot!" She squirmed.

"You can face your fear and dive straight into this pool of jelly, OR let your team risk losing yet another challenge." Chris announced. Courtney sighed, sulking over to where the long ladder began.

"This is insane." Courtney said outloud. "I could seriously die doing this." She gulped, climbing up. E

The Screaming Gophers were all done with their challenges by now. Emma looked up.

"Oh, now that's just cruel." She grinned.

"Bet it's warm by now." Noah lit up his eyes, speaking a bit louder while smirking at Emma.

"Warm green jelly, snotty bouncy- eugh!" Emma shuddered.

"You're not going to make me quit!" Courtney glared at them.

"That's it, keep climbing!" Duncan called up.

"She's just trying to psyche you out!" Trent yelled.

Finally, Courtney's head popped up from behind the plank. She held her head, looking down. She trembled, holding her face.

"Like you said Courtney, it's okay if you can't do it!" Duncan shouted.

"Yeah, but the point would be really nice." Gwen grumbled loudly. Duncan shot a look at her, before looking back up to Courtney.

"You can do this! Come on, I believe in you!" Duncan hollered. "Remember what you said? Fear is all in the mind! Or something like that." Courtney opened her scrunched up eyes, and shakily looked down. Her eyes locked in with Duncan's. He look pretty genuine. Courtney stood up in a stiff line, and shakily stepped forward.

"Nnngg AH!" Courtney, with a small hop forward, bravely took the fall with a long scream. Cannon balling into the tub, she bounced into the jelly until it reached her stomach. Then it spit her out, splurging her out the jello. "WWHOA!" She flew in the air again, and fell into Scott.

"Oof!" She opened her eyes after some time, finding herself carried by him.

"Uuh, whoops?" Scott let her down. Duncan ran over, bumping into Scott and causing him to fall over.

"Hey!"

"Courtney, you did it! And you're not even that covered in jelly!" Courtney looked down. The jello simply bounced her out due to its mixture. She still was dripping in it to the knees, but otherwise, she felt relatively okay. Deciding not to focus on the oozy feeling on her legs, she looked up and exulted,

"I did it.. I can't believe I did it!" Courtney whooped simultaneously as the rest of the team gathered around and celebrated. The two hugged each other in the midst of the crowded cheers. Then they looked at each other and quickly retracted, jumping back into place.

"Uh, thanks? For helping with.. that." Courtney thanked Duncan, unused to having her tongue speak nicely to Duncan so much.

"Ehh I knew you could do it." Duncan rolled his eyes. "Now, wanna eat some jelly?" He joked.

"No!" Courtney huffed, at the same time Owen shouted a YES! They looked at each other.

*static*

Courtney: I still can't believe it... I actually did it! Can't believe I'm saying this, but Duncan actually helped me while I was up there. He's really... She snapped up to the camera. Uh- he possibly might be a regular person.

*static*

...

At an outside pen, Chris leaned against one of the fences, facing the Killer Bass.

"Alright gang, we're nearly done. Tyler, for your challenge, you need to get into this pen for three minutes, with these chickens." He opened up a box that had a couple of chickens inside. They flapped out.

"You can do it Tyler!" DJ encouraged.

"Yeah." Duncan smirked. "Unless of course you're chicken." He flapped his arms imitating one.

Tyler was rocking himself in the corner with petrified eyes.

"I don't think we're getting anywhere with this one." Chris commented. Courtney walked over and leaned over the fence.

"Tyler this is our last challenge. Quit being such a girl!" She shouted. "You have to do this, or we're going to lose." Cody chimed in.

"Technically, we'd be tied. We're at a 7 to 6 right now." Cody typed something into a calculator-like machine and showed the ratio. Chris looked down on his watch, the minutes ticking by, until finally he yawned.

"Welp! That's it. Gophers, you are the victor!" The team hurrahed, jumping up and celebrating. The Killer Bass looked down in a groan, glaring at Tyler - who was still rocking himself on the ground. Courtney screamed, Duncan having to hold her back from tearing into Tyler.

...

Soon enough, it was night time. Tense music played, the bonfire burned brightly between the Killer Bass and Chris.

"There are only two marshmallows left on this plate." Chris had already cut to the chase, finished passing out the safe ones. The ones left were Cody, Harold, and Scott.

"The three of you didn't complete your challenges today. One of you is going home tonight and cannot return. Ever." He drawled. "The next name I'm gonna call... iiissss..." The three guys left were tense with suspense. "Harold!"

He sighed and walked up lankily to claim his prize. Cody and Tyler glanced at each other. "And the final marshmallow goes to... Cody." Cody jumped up.

"Yes!" Tyler slumped over. Duncan smugly patted his shoulder.

"You'll get that chicken next time dude."

He began to slowly walk over to the boat. "Looks like a new pecking order has been established here." Chris chidely winked at the camera.

"It's not like he cried.. fowl." Duncan joined.

"Time for Tyler to fly the coop." Scott snickered.

"He won't be flying high tonight." Gwen indulged.

"Okay that's enough." Courtney stood.

Tyler finally reached the dock. Soon as he stepped in, he sat down with a slump. He sniffed, tears starting to develop. Then he heard a clucking noise. Then more. And more. Until he looked about and saw that he was surrounded by chickens. He screamed.

*static*

Lindsey: Aww, I'll never forget out time together Taylor- ah, Tyler. Lindsey blew a kiss to the camera. Bye. She smiled with a waggle of her fingers.

*static*

Credits!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoi! Unfortunately, this work will most likely be discontinued ;-; Sorry for any inconvenience whatsoever! TDI will always hold their little chunk of territory in the "fandom" section of my brain (and heart). Have a nice day!

**Author's Note:**

> See, this is the problem with mushing your favorite characters all together: You need to eliminate them! It was hard giving Dawn the boot so soon, but don't worry. She'll be back _*sinister laugh*._


End file.
